North West 200: International road race and other clubs considering new insurance quote

The North West 200 motorcycle road race was scheduled to take place in May

North West 200 organisers acknowledge there is a "pressing need" for a decision on whether this year's event will go ahead as planned on 7-13 May.

Soaring insurance costs led the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland Ulster Centre to announce on 9 February the cancellation of all road races, short circuits and trials events for 2023.

The Coleraine and District Club has retained hope of running their meeting.

The MCUI UC has now received a new insurance quote for its 2023 events.

Cancelled events included the Cookstown 100, Tandragee 100, Armoy road races and Ulster Grand Prix, plus the Sunflower Trophy at Bishopscourt and the Masters Superbike series at Mondello Park.

The Coleraine Club and other organising clubs are now "considering" the new insurance quote, according to a statement from the NW200 organisers on Thursday morning.

"We are very conscious that time is now short with regard to the organisation of this year's North West 200," read the statement.

"With less than eight weeks until race week, there is a pressing need for a final decision to be made as soon as possible for everyone involved in the event."

Event Director Mervyn Whyte told BBC Sport NI in mid-February that the chances of the race taking place this year hung in the balance.

At an emergency meeting of the MCUI UC in February, delegates and clubs deemed it impossible to run events because insurance costs had tripled for the forthcoming season.

Following this meeting, Whyte had indicated that the organising Coleraine and District Motor Club would keep fighting for the road race to run.