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Feet held up for the first practice session - even though, as expected, I got no sympathy from anyone on the grid!

Freezing last night - rider Jimmy Moore from Alaska was complaining - so it really must have been bad.

Going to a premiere showing of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ documentary Joey Remembered this afternoon - the programme will be broadcast on ´óÏó´«Ã½1 NI on Saturday night at 10.55pm, as we approach the 10th year anniversary of his death.

The NW200 wouldn't be the same without the Dunlop name - and I was really impressed with both William and Michael last night - do you agree with me that there could be a Dunlop double on Saturday?

Don't forget our preview programme, live from the paddock on Friday night - we'll be broadcasting on ´óÏó´«Ã½1 at 10.35pm from the HM Plant and RiderMotorcycles garages - it's a busy place at the moment as Michael Rutter has major Ducati Superbike problems!

In the show we'll have loads of features including at home with Ryan Farquhar, behind the scenes with Alistair Seeley, the inside track on the new Mathers Chicane, and today we've been filming with Gary Mason, Steve Plater, and Stuart Easton at the famous Dunluce Casle... we'll also have special guests dropping in to see us including one who's flying in specially, from America!

Look forward to hearing from you.

Stephen Watson faces his own race to be ready for the NW200. As the pic below shows, the NW200 presenter is struggling to be fit for next week's race fest. Too many miles at the Masters and too much cantering at the Cookstown 100 have left his legs in bad way.

Fallen arches, damaged achilles and now a dodgy knee, mean he's laid up at home trying to balance all the prep for the live preview TV programme along with his plans for the rest of race week, culminating in a full day of presenting from the grid come race day on Saturday 15 May.

However, he is undeterred : "I'll definitely be there, there is no way I'd miss the NW200. .....I don't know what shape I'll be in by the end of it, but I can't wait for it to start"

If anyone has any homemade remedies or suggestions for his creaking joints please post them here.

THE MEDIA MAKER

BIOGRAPHY

Stephen's media roles have taken him to the World Cup Finals, golf's Masters Competition, The Ryder Cup, and the Commonwealth Games. But it was as a teenager that Stephen first got the biking bug, spending many summer holidays spectating at the NorthWest.

His first media work at the circuit was back in 1993, and over the last 17 years he's undertaken many different roles: reporter, producer, circuit commentator and post race interviewer.

But it's his current job, at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport NI, fronting the coverage on the grid for the live web streams during practice and race day, that he relishes the most.

Other biking duties have included reporting at MotoGP, World Suprbikes, BSB, as well as the other top road races like the TT, Ulster GP and the Cookstown 100.

PREDICTION QUOTE

"Picking a winner at the NW200 is never an easy job, so this year I let my heart rule my head and plumped for a few local winners!

Alastair Seeley to be the first Superbike winner from Northern Ireland since Phillip McCallen is a big call, I had to make these predictions quickly and now looking back I can't believe I ruled Michael Rutter and John McGuinness out of my top six - I wouldn't be surprised if they prove me completely wrong!"

WATCH THE VIDEO