TT legend confirms his retirement

Harris celebrates his double success in 2003

Double TT winner Shaun Harris has announced his retirement from racing and will not make his scheduled appearance at this year's event.

The New Zealander, 43, posted his announcement on the iomtt.com forum.

"The world's changed and I'm moving on. It's with a bit of regret that I'm announcing my retirement," he said.

Harris, who won both Production 1000cc and 600cc races at the 2003 TT, was planning a dramatic return to racing around the Mountain Circuit in 2009.

"I've been thinking very hard about this over the last few months," he added.

"I decided that if I was to race again, I probably would not even get back to my best again since my big crash, and do not see the point in fighting for 10th place (respect to those that are still moving up)."

Harris was seriously injured in the 2007 Superstock race when he came off at Union Mills on the last lap sustaining major fractures.

Months of treatment followed at Nobles Hospital and in Leeds before he could return home.

He made a comeback to racing on Boxing Day and won at Wanganui on a Triumph Daytona 675 on the Cemetery Circuit, decked out in a Three Legs of Man helmet.

Fittingly the one-mile course is known as the Isle of Man of the Southern Hemisphere.