Torrens Trophy

Torrens Trophy
Awarded for"Outstanding Contribution to the Cause or Technical Excellence of Safe and Skilful Motorcycling in the UK"[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byRoyal Automobile Club
First awarded1979
Currently held byTriumph Motorcycles Ltd (2023)[2]

The Torrens Trophy is awarded to an individual or organisation for demonstrating "Outstanding Contribution to the Cause or Technical Excellence of Safe and Skilful Motorcycling in the UK".[1] It is named in honour of The Motor Cycle editor and Royal Automobile Club (RAC) vice-president Arthur Bourne, who wrote a column under the pen name Torrens.[3][4] The RAC established the trophy to recognise "outstanding contributions to motor cycle safety" before extending its purpose to include individuals considered to be "the finest motor cyclists".[4] The trophy, an eight-pint silver tankard,[5] has been awarded infrequently since 1979 by the Torrens Trophy Nominations Committee, which is composed of a panel of experts;[1][6] it is only presented if, in the opinion of the RAC, the achievement can be justified to deserve the award.[3][6] The winner is honoured at a ceremony at the RAC's Pall Mall clubhouse and headquarters in London.[6][7]

The inaugural recipient was Frederick Lovegrove in 1979.[8] It has been awarded to two organisations in its history,[8] the Transport and Road Laboratory in 1980 for promoting safer motorcycle braking systems[9] and the German automotive marque BMW nine years later for the development of its anti-lock braking system for its production motorcycles.[10] Emma Bristow was the first woman motor cyclist to be awarded the accolade when she was named the 2020 recipient.[11] Since its establishment, the award has not been presented during five periods in history: from 1982 to 1988, between 1990 and 1997, from 1999 to 2007, between 2009 and 2012.[8] As of 2022, the accolade has been won seventeen times: Superbike riders have won it four times, with road motorbike racers recognised twice, and Grand Prix motorcycle riders and motorcycle speedway competitors honoured once.[8] The 2023 winner is Moto2 World Championship control three-cylinder engine supplier Triumph Motorcycles Ltd.[2]

  1. ^ a b c "The Torrens Trophy". Royal Automobile Club. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference 2023Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b O'Grady, Sean (14 March 2019). "Tai Woffinden: 'King of speedway' wins historic Torrens Trophy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b Bourne, Arthur (2016). Behind the Scenes in the Vintage Years: Memoir of "Torrens", Arthur Bourne. Kibworth, England: Troubador Publishing. pp. ix–xv. ISBN 978-1-78589-852-5. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2019 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Motor Cycling Trophy". RAC World (71): 4. Summer 1978. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  6. ^ a b c Devereux, Nigel (11 November 2017). "2017 Torrens Trophy nominees announced". Old Bike Mart. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference WinnersCitation was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference TRL1980 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "BMW braking system wins top award". Evening Chronicle. 16 February 1990. p. 34. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2022 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2020Winner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).