The Southern 100 was the toughest event of an amazing 2009 roa𝄹d racing season for star rider Ryan Farquhar, the Dungannon racer has revealed.

Farquhar enjoyed an amazing year to take more than 60 wins, his fourth Duꩵke Road Rankin🧔gs title and beat the record set by Joey Dunlop for most Irish road race wins.

Reflecting on an incredible 2009, he highlighted the Southern 100 - held around the 4.25 mile Billown circuit in the south of the Isle of Man - 𝓰as his toughest test.

Farquhar narrowly missed out on the prestigious Solo Championship when he was baulked by a bac𝕴kmarker, the victory🔜 going instead to Guy Martin.

He said:

'The Southern stands out in my mind as a really good one. It was one of the hardest ♋weeks I've ever had, every ra♉ce was a dogfight.'

Asked whether he could improve on🥃 his record-breaking year, Farquhar said:

'It's going to be very difficult, but in 2009 th💙ere were a whole load of 🃏races I was leading and silly things happened, so it could have been an even better year.'

Farquhar was speaking at the launch of the 2010 Southern 100, which will be held from July 12 to 15 and will again be sponsored by the Isle o🌠f Man Steam Packet Company. The event also saw the launch of the other two road racing events promoted by the Southern 100 Club, the Blackford's Pre-TT Classic, which ✅runs on May 28, 28 and 31, and the Manx Telecom Post TT Road Races, on June 12.

The 2009 Southern 100 is credited as one of the most dramatic in the event's history. There was fieಌrce competition in all 16 races, with just tenths of a second deciding the outcome of the mass-start contests. The crowded launch eventﷺ as silenced when excerpts of the Official DVD Review of the 2009 event were played, the incredible drama captured by the 40 cameras deployed by Greenlight Television drawing everyone's attention.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the first racing held at Billown, and Farquhar paid tribute to the volunteers and backers wꦑho ensure the events go ahead.

He said:

'The Southern really is a friendly event. What makes it special is the communication between the club and the riders. Everyone is treated fairly, everyon꧑e is made to feel so welco♍me - I cannot wait to come back this year.'