Special centenary mementos will be given to all participants in this year’s Manx Telecom Parish Walk who reach one of the checkpoints along the route. Every competitor who reaches Santon, or one of the checkpoints further along the course, will receive a commemorative medal commissioned by the event’s main sponsor to celebrate 100 years of the race. News of the unique mementos was announced at an official launch for the 2013 event held at Manx Telecom’s headquarters. Mike Dee, Manx Telecom CEO, said the medals would add an extra incentive for walkers to take part in what will be a unique race in the Parish Walk’s long history. He added:
“The Manx Telecom Parish Walk is a fantastic community and sporting event - but with this year marking 100 years since it began in its current format the 2013 race will be extra special. We wanted to offer an added incentive for people to take part, and we hope the commemorative centenary medals will give casual walkers an added motivation to reach the first checkpoint at Santon, and give more experienced walkers an incentive to surpass the goals they achieved in previous years.”
He also paid tribute to the hard work of Race Director Ray Cox and his team of organisers and the thousands of volunteers and supporters across the Island whose combined efforts each year make the Manx Telecom Parish Walk such a unique event. The centenary medals will be presented to walkers when they reach a checkpoint and hand in their timing chips. By tradition, the defending champion wears number 1 in the following year’s race. As Richard Gerrard and Vinny Lynch were joint winners in 2012, the wearer of the number in this year’s race was decided by the toss of a coin. Hon Graham Cregeen MHK, Minster for the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure, did the honours and it will be Richard Gerrard who will have the number 1 when the race starts at the NSC on June 22.
Entry for the Manx Telecom Parish Walk costs ?30 and all those who sign up receive a commemorative centenary edition technical tee-shirt, goodie bag, and a ticket to the prize presentation. The entry deadline is on May 12, but all those who enter before April 7 have a chance to win some fantastic prizes provided by Manx Telecom and Intersport. Just sign up online at www.parishwalk.com before midnight on April 7 and you will be automatically entered into the prize draw.
On Tuesday April 9 Manx Telecom is once again organising the popular ‘Walk Talk’ event at the Manx Museum. It’s an ideal opportunity for all walkers to get some training tips from previous winners and ask questions about how to prepare for the big day. Just go along to the museum at 5.30pm for a 5:45pm start.
Entrants in this year’s race are expected to raise a total of around ?600,000 for charities and there will be a around 5,000 spectators with another 5,000 support crew out on the road helping friends and family taking part in the walk.
Following the success of live trackers in last year’s race, the devices will be used again for 2013 so that the progress of the leading walkers can be followed online. The trackers transmit GPS information to the official Manx Telecom Parish Walk website www.parishwalk.com showing a map of the course with a real time display indicating the location of each competitor. So far, last year’s joint winners Vinny Lynch and Richard Gerrard have agreed to carry the trackers along with four time champion Jock Waddington. Michael George, who has yet to notch up a Parish Walk win but has regularly been a challenger for victory in recent years, will also carry one of the trackers. Michael won the Merit Award in 2012 for his valiant effort to win the race from the front.
The Manx Workshop for the Disabled is producing wooden coasters featuring the Manx Telecom Parish Walk 100 Years logo which will be given to every competitor who attends the signing on nights. The Workshop is also providing the awards for the team competition. Last year the Workshop received a Manx Telecom It’s Our Community grant to purchase specialist woodworking tools.
The Manx Telecom Parish Walk can trace its roots back to the 1850s, but the first event that is comparable to the modern format was held in 1913. That year there was an event called the Parish Walking Match organised by the Isle of Man Times and the Manx Sporting Club.
Photo - Manx Telecom CEO Mike Dee, second from left, with 2012 Manx Telecom Parish Walk winners Sue Biggart, Vinny Lynch and Richard Gerrard.
