Ryan Farquhar has heaped praise upon the MCUI medical team who he says saved his life in the aftermath of the North West 200 crash at Black Hill.

The Dungannon rider fell while leading the race on the Portrush section of the 8.9 mile Triangle circuit and was airlifted to Belfast after being treated at the roadside by Dr Fred MacSorley and the MCUI team.

“I can’t thank the doctors enough who saved my life. Money couldn’t pay them for what they have done for me,” said Farquhar, in his first interview since the accident.

“I want to thank Fred and his team I remember crashing and the marshals telling me not to move until Dr Fred got there. It is unreal how quickly he was able to work out what was wrong with me and when I got to hospital they told me that whoever prepared me for the journey had saved my life.”

Farquhar suffered a lacerated liver which was damaged by the six broken ribs he sustained after being hit by the bike of Dan Cooper who was just behind him. Cooper also crashed, injuring his shoulders in the impact.
 
“As time went on I knew that I was in bad shape. I was taken straight into surgery when I arrived at the Royal and I was lucky that the top liver surgeon in the country was available to operate on me.”

Farquhar also suffered ankle and foot injuries and he says the protective Daytona boots definitely saved him from worse leg injuries. Farquhar remembers clearly the moment that he knew he was going to crash.

“I lost the front end and I went down hard. I hit the Recticel bale and bounced back out into the road but everything happened so fast that I don’t really remember being hit by the other bike. I am looking forward now to getting myself sorted and getting home with my wife Karen, my girls Keeley and Mya and our two donkeys.”