BY SEÁN HOLLAND
LIFE in the fast lane suits Ian Lynch.
The Baltimore man (26) has quickly become a rising star in the Irish Masters Superbike Championships.
From local hillclimbs and drag races to standing on podiums in Mondello Park, Lynch’s journey into the competitive world has been fuelled by a deep love for racing and a relentless drive to improve.
What began as a casual passion on his road bike when he was 16 years old has evolved into Lynch proving himself a formidable contender in the Superbike Championship. Now, with a season filled with podium finishes under his belt, he is setting his sights on even greater heights and eventually taking on the thrilling world of road racing.
‘I’ve been on road bikes since I was about 16,’ says Lynch, who rides a Suzuki Sv 650cc.
‘Along with riding them on the road, there were local hill limbs and drag races that the West Cork Club Motorcycle club used to run. I took the road bike in that and I was bitten by the bug at that stage.
‘Last year that was the first time I actually bought a race bike. I didn't do a whole pile with it, I was waiting for 2024 to start racing with it, and just gathering information.’
For Lynch, what started as a modest goal quickly turned into a whirlwind season of unexpected success. With no plans to make a major splash in his first year of competitive racing, his ambitions escalated dramatically after a stellar debut performance.
‘Once I got the race bike, I said I’d do two races in the year. That was the plan: to do two races and try not come last,’ he laughs.
‘We went out on the first weekend and finished on the podium and that was it, I was committed to it. I've been racing for the rest of the year since then so the initial plan of just two races went out the window fairly quickly. I've had 12 races this year so far and got nine podiums.
‘It was a good enough start of the year,' he admits, modestly. On top of that, he also enjoyed a podium finish in the Skerries sprint road race in Dublin, another impressive performance in his season.
Motorbike racing is inherently risky, and Lynch is no stranger to falls. However, he credits the safety of the tracks and his investment in protective gear for minimising the impact of these incidents.
‘I've had falls but the track in Mondello is fairly safe and I've invested a fair bit in the gear just to make sure everything was right,’ he says.
‘Even at that, I had only had one slide really this year and it was only a slow one; the tyre was gone a bit too hot or too shook, nothing too bad anyway. There are lads who are teaching me. They’re a couple of years ahead in knowledge so I'm learning about tyre choices and tyre pressures and what corner lines to take, which all helps.’
Lynch manages his racing career with a small support team. His primary support comes from his girlfriend, Michaela, who plays an instrumental role in preparing the bike on race weekend.
He has had no shortage of early success which means looking ahead, Lynch has ambitious goals for the future. Securing third place in the championship this year is the immediate goal, but beyond 2024 his sights are set even higher.
‘Whatever bike I'm on, I want to try to win the championship next year – that would be the ideal goal,’ he says.
Ultimately, his dream is to transition into road racing.
‘Once I have enough races done, then basically you can apply for a road racing licence, and I'll be heading more towards the road after that.’
Lynch will compete in Mondello Park in the final round of the Irish Superbikes championship this weekend, September 20th and 21st.
