Three vastly experienced riders from the World Endurance and Masters of Endurance Championships will take part in this year’s Isle of Man TT Races with Amaury Baratin and Emmanual Cheron from France and German rider Frank Spenner the latest star names added to the entry list for TT 2005. Baratin and Cheron are team mates who have finished sixth for the last two years at the infamous Bol D’Or 24 Hour event and are regular top ten finishers in the break away Masters of Endurance series. Together they finished fourth in the overall standings in 2003, with three factory backed teams ahead of them. German star Spenner is a regular point scorer in the World Endurance series and has also scored impressive results in some of the Pure Road Races on the continent. The TT continues to have strong links to Endurance Racing with current TT stars John McGuinness, Ian Lougher, John Barton, Bruno Bonhuil, Jun Maeda, Gus Scott and Mirko Kalsek all competing in the World Endurance and/or Masters of Endurance Championships in recent years. Commenting on the three riders, TT Team and Rider Liaison Officer Paul Phillips said: “Endurance racing has some similarities to the TT, as riders require the same high, sustained levels of concentration. Therefore it is inevitable that some riders from these championships will consider racing at the TT. Amaury, Emmanual and Frank have enjoyed a lot of success in recent years in Endurance Racing and I am sure they will turn out to be excellent TT riders in the years ahead. We hope to bring over more talented riders from Endurance racing in the future, and we have spoken to a number of prime candidates already who would greatly enhance the TT entry, some of whom may join these three lads on the entry for this year.” David Cretney MHK, Minister for the Department of Tourism and Leisure and Chairman of the TT Co-ordinating Committee added: “It is great to see more talented overseas riders taking up the TT challenge. I am sure that Amaury Baratin, Emmanual Cheron and Frank Spenner will rise to that challenge having already shown their credentials in the competitive Endurance Championships on the continent. I have said it many times already this year, but I will say it again; TT 2005 is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory and I can’t wait for it all to start for another year.”