The annual World Championship Viking Longboat Races return to Peel this Saturday (July 18).

Around 500 participants and 58 different teams are set to take to the western waters in large Viking-style boats at 12.30pm.

Ten-person crews work together pulling 11-foot oars in a 400-metre sprint race around Peel harbour.

The event is usually well-attended, with spectators lining up to watch the unique races which have been running since 1963.

Jimmy Lee, one of the organisers of the event, said: ‘The Viking Longboat Races started initially with four crews in the longboats for the Viking Festival vying to be first to the beach and start the invasion.

‘The original boats had 20 in a crew, but the boats that we are using presently, which were built in the island in the mid 1980s, are crewed by 10 rowers.’

The races are split into three categories: men’s, women’s and mixed.

There are also prizes on offer for a range of different categories such as ‘newcomers’, ‘best young farmers team’, ‘veterans team’, ‘Peel team’, ‘fancy dress team’ and the ‘slowest team’.

Jimmy added: ‘The course is a sprint for the top teams and a struggle for the lower teams. As some top teams say, its three minutes of all out rowing, whereas the slower teams may take anywhere between five to ten minutes. However, they are doing it for fun and enjoyment - or so they say!’

This year’s event is being sponsored by RIELA, which specialises in services for high-value assets and clients, particularly in the superyacht, corporate services, cybersecurity, and IT sectors.

Robert Tobin ,director at RIELA, commented: ‘The Peel Viking Longboat Races are a fantastic example of the island community coming together.

‘It’s an event that combines teamwork, fun, and tradition, whilst also raising important funds for local charities.’

The event will also see road closures in Peel throughout Saturday around the area of Weather Glass Corner and The Tongue.