Reigning New Zealand superbike champion Mitch Rees stepped into one of the world’s most iconic and demanding races – the Isle of Man TT – and made an unforgettable impression.

Rees came away with the fifth-fastest time ever for a first timer in the event’s 118-year history – an achievement he’ll never forget.

While most bike-mad youngsters dream of one day racing the world’s most infamous road circuit, Mitch didn’t share that childhood fantasy. Instead, he was mad about motorcross.

He had a short stint of road racing when he was about 14 years old, and his dad offered to support him down that route.

But after a great national campaign, Mitch decided to stick with his first love, motocross – until some big injuries caused setbacks. In 2015, he made the switch to road racing alongside his father, Tony, and his late brother, Damo, who he was mechanic for. He was 22 years old by this time.

“I turned to road racing in 2015, with my first meet being the Motul 6-Hour Endurance Race.”

That event saw Rees team up with his brother and father to record an impressive second-place finish.

Despite his success, Rees said it had always been about enjoyment.

“I never saw it as a full-time career, as much as I’d like to. But now I’ve got more opportunities, having done the Isle of Man TT.”

He admits he knew going to watch the 2024 TT would draw him back to race it.

“I knew if I ever went to watch, I’d want to go back to race the TT.

“I had watched it on TV for years and after being at the event, I started linking the circuit together in my brain and before I made the decision to race, I spent a lot of time on YouTube and played it on PlayStation. I knew what I was getting into.”

Two rounds of the British Superbike Championship and NorthWest200 served as a valuable warm-up.

But the road to the TT start line wasn’t smooth. Licensing and insurance issues made things a bit more hectic for Rees.

“To race, I had to be accepted by the organisers and complete a mountain course licence.

“We didn’t get insurance confirmed until three days before the NW200 event, which kept the stress levels high. None of this would’ve happened without my wife, Mihi.”

Weather delays limited Rees to just 24 laps across the two weeks – far short of the 40-to-50 laps most riders aim for.

“It was minimal, but that was all I could do. I made the most of the time I had.”

Mentally, the TT was as intense as it was thrilling.

“I was terrified. But I kept telling myself, ‘What you’re doing is pretty cool, just enjoy it and remember why you are there’. Some sections of the track are scary. Others are really cool.”

Pushing over 300kmh and with average lap speeds of 210kmh over the 60.72 kilometres, the course’s brutal reputation lived up to the hype.

“There’s one part of the course where you’re in 5th gear, dropping into a gully – I hate it. It’s horrible. But then you have other sections of the track that are a joy to ride where it’s like sailing down the mountain. The bike is like a bullet and keep shifting up gears and you float your way back to the start/finish.”

“Your mind’s thinking about what’s coming up next, but by the time you’ve processed that – it’s already behind you.”

Rees and Mihi, who together run Team Rees Motorcycles in Whakatāne, made the most of the European trip.

They celebrated Damo’s heavenly birthday in the UK alongside Damo’s wife, then took time to unwind in Croatia with friends before returning home.

Up next for Rees is the New Zealand Suzuki Series, with potential events in Australia and China, and the Burt Munro Challenge in Invercargill next year.

He’s also scheduled to speak at the Rock Our Ride Fundraiser on August 9, a fundraising event for Kiwis Billee Fuller and Avalon Lewis, who are competing in the FIM Women’s Circuit World Championship.

Soon, Rees will be meeting with his team managers to debrief and explore the possibility of returning to the Isle of Man TT in 2026.