British born and New Zealand resident Guy Lowe, 54, was killed as a result of an accident which happened during the annual Greymouth Motorcycle Street Race, shortly before 11h00 on Sunday, 23 October 2016.
Guy Lowe died on the way to Greymouth hospital, after crashing his bike while riding in the very first race of Sunday's program, the B.E.A.R.S. Class race. Reportedly another rider had fallen from his bike in Herbert Street and Lowe could not avoid the fallen machine and collided with it, suffering fatal head injuries. He rode his red 2001 Ducati 750SS #621.
The Englishman moved to New Zealand in 2005 to visit his brother Andy who lived in Christchurch, South Island, and never went home. He settled in Christchurch, where he joined the Plains Motorcycle Club, before moving to Nelson in 2013, to concentrate on his racing. An experienced competitor, Guy Lowe raced 13 times in the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, as a sidecar passenger between 1992 and 2004.
After the tragedy, racing was suspended for about four hours before the organizers decided the event to be annulled. Guy Lowe was the first fatality in the 27-year history of the Greymouth Motorcycle Street Race. A tough 1.3-kilometer (0.81-mile) street circuit in downton Greymouth hosted the event since its first edition on Labour Weekend 1989, which was part of the Octoberfest initiated by the Greymouth Businessman's Association.
Guy Lowe worked at Fulton Hogan, a large infrastructure construction company in Nelson, South Island. He was survived by his girlfriend Tracey; his parents Geoff and June; his brothers Allyson, Elspeth and Steve, all living in UK, and Andy who lived in New Zealand. He had a pet parrot called Reggie who accompanied him everywhere. A week after his death, a Memorial Service for Guy Lowe was held at the Ruapuna Racetrack in Christchurch.
A second fatality at a South Island of New Zealand motorcycle street race event, occurred six months later, when Ruaraidh McLeod died after crashing his bike during the Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Street Race held at Methven.
R.I.P
