Parish Walk

Parish Walk on 2006.

The Parish Walk (sponsored by Manx Telecom since 2012, previously known as the Clerical Medical Parish Walk until 2009, then Scottish Widows Parish walk up to 2011) is a walking race that takes place on the Isle of Man each year usually on the weekend nearest to the Northern Summer solstice. It is the biggest walking event on the island.

The Parish Walk is so called because the route passes through all of the island's seventeen parishes, covering a total distance of 85 miles (137 km). Originally, walkers had to touch the door of each of the seventeen parish churches, which are all still visited but nowadays electronic timing chips are worn. A time limit of 24 hours is given, and there are cut-off times for reaching each stage.

Only a small proportion of walkers are expected to complete the full distance each year. Walkers may drop out at any of the stages, which correspond to each parish, with an official time and distance. The entry fee for the 2018 race was quoted at £40 or less dependent on discounts.

History

The challenge was seeded by a Manx Sun newspaper article in 1852 entitled "A summer's day Journey", recording a journey taken by the then-Coroner, John Cannel, who covered 90 miles in 15 hours on horseback. The following year he followed a similar route, only this time on foot, visiting each of the island's 17 parishes.

It was not until 1913 that the event took its current form when the Parish Walking Match was organised by the Isle of Man Times and the Manx Sporting Club. The outbreak of war interrupted the event, and it was revived in 1923.

Fundraising

It is believed that the Parish Walk may be the largest annual fundraising event in the island. However, as each participant is left to raise money themselves and for a charity of their own choice, no figures have ever been compiled. Participation involves a chargeable entry fee.

Course

The Parish Walk starts at 8am at the National Sports Centre in Douglas. From the start line of the athletics track, competitors must complete one lap of the 400 metre track before leaving through the Marathon gates, negotiating the TT Access Road before doubling back to the first of the Parish Churches (Braddan), proceeding in the following order;

• Braddan Church (2 miles)
• Marown Church (4.5 miles)
• Santon Church (11 miles)
• Malew Church (15 miles)
• Arbory Church (17 miles)
• Rushen Church (19 miles)
• Patrick Church (30.5 miles)
• St German's Church, Peel (32.5 miles)
• Kirk Michael Church (39 miles)
• Ballaugh Church (42 miles)
• Jurby Church (45 miles)
• Bride Church (52.5 miles)
• Andreas Church (55.5 miles)
• Lezayre Church (61.5 miles)
• Maughold Church (67 miles)
• Lonan Church (78.5 miles)
• Onchan Church (83 miles)
• Finish, Douglas (85 miles)

The finishing line is on Douglas promenade by the War Memorial at the bottom of Broadway.

Past winners

Year	Men's Winner	Time	Women's Winner	Time	Overall Position
1960	Stan Cleator	19:50:30
1961	Henry Harvey	17:10:17
1962	Henry Harvey	16:25:40
1963	Joe Brown	17:04:09
1964	Henry Harvey	16:21:06
1965	No race
1966	No race
1967	Albert Johnson	15:54:51
1968	Leece Kneale	16:05:52
1969	Ian Hodgkinson	17:11:25
1970	Dudley Seddon	17:21:49
1971	Graham Young	15:43:12
1972	Derek Harrison	16:19:15
1973	Derek Harrison	16:36:04
1974	John Dowling	16:40:07
1975	Ted Warner	18:49:52
1976	John Cannell	17:28:12
1977	Steve Gardner	19:11:01
1978	Murray Lambden	16:19:37
1979	Derek Harrison	15:20:51
1980	Derek Harrison	16:13:10
1981	John Cannell	16:15:11
1982	John Cannell	15:59:33
1983	John Cannell	16:31:38
1984	Derek Harrison	16:10:17
1985	Willie Corkill	16:29:31
1986	Willie Corkill	17:03:45
1987	Willie Corkill	16:58:33
1988	Martin Lambden	17:12:01
1989	Charlie Weston	18:17:55
1990	Gordon Vale	17:55:10
1991	Charlie Weston	17:46:58
1992	Graham Young	16:38:27
1993	John Cannell	16:11:11
1994	John Cannell	16:13:46
1995	Brian Ashwell	16:37:47	Jill Green	20:29:08	7th
1996	Lee Cain	17:26:29	Winnie Callister	22:59:02	17th
1997	Chris Flint	17:36:40	Jill Green	18:39:57	4th
1998	Richard Brown	15:59:44	Sandra Brown	16:16:36	2nd
1999	Chris Flint	17:07:46	Karen Marie Brogger	17:48:40	2nd
2000	Peter Kaneen	16:59:54	Karen Marie Brogger	18:04:35	4th
2001	Robbie Callister	16:59:27	Rosemarie Crellin	20:04:54	15th
2002	Robbie Callister	16:34:30	Rosemarie Crellin	18:34:07	5th
2003	Peter Kaneen	15:26:07	Rosemarie Crellin	17:12:19	4th
2004	Robbie Callister	15:26:31	Sue Biggart	16:48:32	3rd
2005	Robbie Callister	15:24:24	Sue Biggart	16:53:54	3rd
2006	Sean Hands	14:47:36	Sue Biggart	16:23:14	4th
2007	Robbie Callister	15:36:47	Sue Biggart	16:49:46	7th
2008	Jock Waddington	15:44:43	Sue Biggart	16:42:09	5th
2009	Jock Waddington	15:45:56	Janice Quirk	15:58:35	2nd
2010	Jock Waddington	15:18:06	Susan Moore	17:44:13	12th
2011	Jock Waddington	15:01:48	Maureen Moffatt	18:19:21	16th
2012	Vinny Lynch/Richard Gerrard	14:42:32	Sue Biggart	17:03:53	8th
2013	Michael George	14:44:49	Janice Quirk	16:16:39	6th
2014	Richard Gerrard	15:15:20	Janette Morgan	16:48:14	6th
2015	Richard Gerrard	14:40:08	Janette Morgan	16:38:14	9th
2016	Richard Gerrard	15:31:43	Karen Chiarello	16:00:03	3rd
2017	Liam Parker	15:36:59	Karen Chiarello	15:53:44	2nd
2018	Greg Rotheram	15:25:09	Bernie Johnson	17:37:17	12th
2019	Liam Parker	15:44:06	Emma Shilling	17:47:09	7th
2020	No race
2021	Paul Atherton	15:23:41	Samantha Bowden	16:38:51	6th
2022	Paul Atherton	15:23:39	Samantha Bowden	17:20:26
2023	Dean Morgan	15:27:03	Lorna Gleave	17:27:31

Sponsorship

Clerical Medical sponsored the event from 1990 to 2009, until the takeover of HBOS (which owned Clerical Medical) by Lloyds TSB (which owned Scottish Widows) to form the Lloyds Banking Group. As a result of the takeover the event was rebranded as the Scottish Widows Parish Walk. This sponsorship ran up to and including the 2011 event. On 12 October 2011 the organisers announced that Manx Telecom would be taking over sponsorship. Manx Telecom had provided the on-line timing systems for previous years but the 2012 event was their first as title sponsors.

Organisation

The Parish Walk is organised by Manx Harriers, the largest Athletics club in the Isle of Man. A sub-committee of the club organises the event.

Events

There are four main races within the Parish Walk - The Mass race, Ladies Race, Team Race and Under 21 Race.

The mass race

In 2017, the Mass Race was won by Liam Parker in hot conditions in a time of 15:36:59. At 26, Parker was the youngest winner for two decades. He was followed by Karen Chiarello in second place and Adam Killip was third overall and second man to complete the 85 mile course.

Ladies race

The Trophy for the Best Lady Finisher went to Karen Chiarello in 2017. She completed the 85 miles in a time of 15:53:44, placing her 2nd overall. She broke the women's course record (set in 2009 by Janice Quirk) by 4 minutes 51 seconds. The second woman to finish, Karen Lawrie was in 4th place overall.

U21 race

The event is open to anyone with an age of at least 18 and under 21 on the day of the race, and finishes at Peel (32.5 miles).

The 2016 U21 winners were Alex Eaton (Men - 06:16:29) and Rebecca Greatbatch (Ladies - 06:58:40).

Team race

Teams may consist of up to four walkers but each team may only have two members who have previously completed the full 85 miles. The winning team is that with the highest total mileage. The total time is used as a tie-breaker should more than one team have the same total mileage. In 2016 the overall team winners were Organ Donation Isle of Man (Richard Gerrard 1st, David Walker 2nd, James Quirk 15th, Paul Clark 113th). Family with the hat on (Maureen Moffatt =98th, June Melvin =98th, Jessica Hatton =98th, Rebecca Moffatt =98th) were the quickest of the ladies teams. The 2018 ladies winners were 4SW, made up of Jessica Kitchin , Nikki Taylor , Thenral Anand and Sharon Blackley.

External links

• Google Map of the course
• Parish Walk Information