Oulton Park BSB inquest told of “unsurvivable” injuries

The deaths of two riders at the 2025 Oulton Park BSB were caused by “unsurvivable” injuries, and inquest has heard.

Owen Jenner, 21, and Shane Richardson, 28, both died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash, Jenner suffering head injuries and Richardson chest injuries. The incident occurred at the opening round of the 2025 BSB season at Oulton Park in the first corner of the British Supersport Feature Race.

The inquests into the two riders’ deaths heard at Chester Coroner’s Court in Warrington that the injuries to both riders were determined to be “unsurvivable” in post-mortem examinations, the BBC reports.

Evidence suggested that the riders had been struck by other riders after they fell. It was deemed by PC Andrew Balmforth, Chester Constabulary’s forensic collision investigator, that these collisions were unavoidable.

BSB Series Director Stuart Higgs told the court that the part of the circuit where the crash happened, the first corner, is not usually considered to be high-risk, Belfast News Letter reports.

Higgs was asked by Jacqueline Devonish, senior coroner for Cheshire, whether motorcycle racing presents an inherent risk of death.

“Sadly it does,” the BBC reports he responded. “The riders sign a very cold declaration that they understand they may risk injury or death.”

Devonish concluded that the deaths were accidental. She concluded: “On the strength of the evidence we have heard I am satisfied those governing the race at Oulton Park that race weekend followed all required procedure, insofar as they had undertaken the annual inspections appropriately and they had required licences from their riders.”