Clypse Course

Clypse Course
Location	Onchan, Isle of Man
Time zone	GMT
Coordinates	54°10′18″N4°29′31″W / 54.17167°N 4.49194°W Coordinates: 54°10′18″N4°29′31″W / 54.17167°N 4.49194°W
Opened	1954
Closed	1959
Major events	Isle of Man TT ; Sidecar World Championship
Length	17.63 km (10.92 mi)
Turns	34
Race lap record	8:04.2, 80.42mph (Tarquinio Provini, MV Agusta, 1959, 250 cc)

Last updated January 25, 2022

The Clypse Course describes a motor-cycle racing course used for the Isle of Man TT Races between 1954 and 1959.

The course is 10.92 mi (17.57 km) long^[1] and is in the parish of Onchan in the Isle of Man. The course uses two short sections of the Snaefell Mountain Course which includes the primary A18 road between Cronk-ny-Mona and Creg-ny-Baa used in the reverse direction. Also, the primary A18 Mountain Road between Signpost Corner and Governor's Bridge. The highest point of the course is 856 ft (261 m) above sea level at Ballacarrooin Hill (Ordnance Survey grid reference SC 406 827 ). The name Clypse is probably a contraction from the Scandinavian word Kleppsstar ( Kleppr's farm) which gives the modern name of Clypse Beg and Clypse Mooar.^[2]

History

The Clypse Course was a new street circuit for racing in the Isle of Man was used to re-introduce the Ultra-Lightweight TT and Sidecar TT Race for the 1954 Isle of Man TT Races. To facilitate racing on the Clypse Course, during the winter of 1953/54 road widening occurs on the Mountain Course at Creg-na-Baa, Signpost Corner and the approach to Governor's Bridge. The re-introduction of the Sidecar TT Race for the 1954 Isle of Man TT Race was controversial as it was opposed by the motor-cycle manufacturers and also for the inclusion of the first female competitor Inge Stoll at an Isle of Man TT race.^[3]

The Lightweight TT Race was run on the Clypse Course for the first time in 1955 and continued until the 1959 race. The Clubman Races were run on the Clypse Course for 1955, then reverting to the Snaefell Mountain Course for the next year. The last year for racing on the Clypse Course was the 1959 Isle of Man TT Race.

For 1960, the Lightweight, Ultra-Lightweight and Sidecar TT Races reverted to the Mountain Course.

Speed and lap records

The lap record for the Clypse Course is 8 Minutes and 4.2 seconds at an average speed of 80.22 mph (129.10 km/h) set by Tarquinio Provini during the 1959 Lightweight TT Race.

Legacy

The Clypse Course has not been used since 1959. Parts of the Clypse Course that are not part of the Snaefell Mountain Course have been used for cycle racing, Hill Climb events and Classic Car Racing. Parts of the Clypse Course which include the secondary road B12 Creg-na-Baa 'Back-Road' and the B20 Begoade Road are regularly used for the Rally Isle of Man and the Manx Rally.

Winners at the Clypse Course

Winners (riders)

# Wins	Rider	Wins
# Wins	Rider	Category	Years won
4	Carlo Ubbiali	Lightweight TT	1956
	Carlo Ubbiali	Ultra Lightweight TT	1955, 1956, 1958
	Tarquinio Provini	Lightweight TT	1958, 1959
	Tarquinio Provini	Ultra Lightweight TT	1957, 1959
3	Walter Schneider	Sidecar TT	1955, 1958, 1959
3	Hans Strauss	Sidecar TT	1955, 1958, 1959
2	Manfred Grunwald	Sidecar TT	1956, 1957
2	Fritz Hillebrand	Sidecar TT	1956, 1957
1	Rupert Hollaus	Ultra Lightweight TT	1954
	Les Nutt	Sidecar TT	1954
	Eric Oliver	Sidecar TT	1954
	Jimmy Buchan	Clubmans Junior TT	1955
	Eddie Dow	Clubmans Senior TT	1955
	Bill Lomas	Lightweight TT	1955
	Cecil Sandford	Lightweight TT	1957

Winners (manufacturers)

# Wins	Manufacturer	Wins
# Wins	Manufacturer	Category	Years won
8	MV Agusta	Lightweight TT	1955, 1956, 1958, 1959
8	MV Agusta	Ultra Lightweight TT	1955, 1956, 1958, 1959
5	BMW	Sidecar TT	1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959
2	BSA	Clubmans Senior TT	1955
	BSA	Clubmans Junior TT	1955
	Mondial	Lightweight TT	1957
	Mondial	Ultra Lightweight TT	1957
1	Norton	Sidecar TT	1954
1	NSU	Ultra Lightweight TT	1954

By year

Year	Ultra Lightweight TT		Lightweight TT		Sidecar TT			Clubmans Junior TT		Clubmans Senior TT		Report
Year	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Passenger	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Report
1959	Tarquinio Provini	MV Agusta	Tarquinio Provini	MV Agusta	Walter Schneider	Hans Strauss	BMW					Report
1958	Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta	Tarquinio Provini	MV Agusta	Walter Schneider	Hans Strauss	BMW					Report
1957	Tarquinio Provini	Mondial	Cecil Sandford	Mondial	Fritz Hillebrand	Manfred Grunwald	BMW					Report
1956	Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta	Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta	Fritz Hillebrand	Manfred Grunwald	BMW					Report
1955	Carlo Ubbiali	MV Agusta	Bill Lomas	MV Agusta	Walter Schneider	Hans Strauss	BMW	Jimmy Buchan	BSA	Eddie Dow	BSA	Report
1954	Rupert Hollaus	NSU			Eric Oliver	Les Nutt	Norton					Report

Sources

↑ Motor Cycling 30 May 1957
↑ Clepps(Beg) – Manorial Roll 1643 or Cleypse – Woods Atlas 1867 Manx Notebook.
↑ Isle of Man Weekly Times dated 22 May 1954

External links

Circuit Guide and Results

Related Research Articles

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The Ultra-Lightweight TT was a motorcycle road race that took place during the Isle of Man TT festival, an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. Between 1951 and 1974 this race was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season at world-level, representing the British round. The Ultra-Lightweight TT and the Lightweight TT races were both dropped from the 2005 Isle of Man TT race calendar due to lack of entries, but were later reinstated to the 2008 and 2009 TT race schedules held on the 4.25 mi (6.84 km) Billown Circuit.

The Sidecar TT is a motorcycle-with-sidecar road race competition held over two legs which takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival, an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. Between 1954 and 1976 this race was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship.

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History of the Isle of Man TT Races 1920–1929

The Isle of Man TT and other motorcycle racing in the island did not restart after the end of the First World War until 1920. Changes were made to the Snaefell Mountain Course causing competitors to turn left and proceed up the hill at Cronk-ny-Mona to follow the primary A18 Snaefell Mountain Road through to Governor's Bridge with a new start/finish line at Glencrutchery Road lengthening the course to 37¾ miles.

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[1] Motor Cycling 30 May 1957

[2] Clepps(Beg) – Manorial Roll 1643 or Cleypse – Woods Atlas 1867 Manx Notebook.

[3] Isle of Man Weekly Times dated 22 May 1954

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