The event had to be switched to the alternative all-southern route for only the third time in its 30-year history when overnight sleet and snow on the higher, northern stretches, forced the closure of the Snaefell Mountain Road.

This made it impossible for emergency vehicles and support crews to reach the Tholt-y-Will and Brandywell Road areas — the latter which forms the first changeover point for the annual relay.

The revised course was implemented and the race started en masse at Crosby, 90 minutes later than the scheduled handicap start from the foot of Sky Hill.

It meant that the winning team was not the first across the finish line in Castletown Square, as is the usual case, and the so-called 'sealed handicap' was only unravelled and announced several hours later at the post-race presentation.

The winning Buddy Mullets team consisted of Caroline Caren, Simon Atherton, Gareth Bennett and Jamie Teare — the latter man a member of the Isle of Man tennis team at this year's NatWest Island Games in Aland.

The foursome did enough to beat Mince Pie Eaters (Alan Gault, Richard Gault and Ian Callister — fourth member Steph Gault was a non-starter) by a fraction more than two minutes on handicap.

The fastest team on actual time was Stompy's Stumpers (James Bishop, Andy Barron, Andy Watson and Martin Malone) in a combined time of 2hr 05min 02sec, with Stumpy's Stompers (Andy Fox, Darren Gray, Mike Garrett and Ed Gumbley) next quickest in 2:07.41. They finished ninth and 14th of the 22 teams on handicap.

There was no mistaking the winner of the cycle race, Port Erin's Paul Kneen taking a similarly shortened and revised race by a clear margin of more than three minutes from former Laxey first team footballer Rob Sorby.

This event also started at Crosby, but the cyclists had to run the first leg to St Mark's where they then mounted their bikes for the muddy and technical stretch to Castletown — the bulk of which was off-road.

Kneen was quickest of the eight starters on the four-mile run to St Mark's in a time of 29m 09s, stretching his lead by a further 2m 55s on the bike.

A full report will appear in the New Year's Eve edition of the Manx Independent.