Two competitors with the same surname are likely to challenge for top honours in this weekend’s Manx Telecom Parish Walk.

Last year’s winner Callum Gawne and regular podium challenger Simon Gawne (no relation) are both expected to feature prominently in the annual 85-mile classic round the island’s 17 parishes.

Simon retired early last year but has led the event to Peel on several occasions in the past decade. Callum was first to Peel 12 months ago, a short distance in front of 2023 and 2024 winner Dean Morgan who was later excluded.

The latter is not entered for this weekend’s event having undergone a groin operation earlier this year.

Other men in the mix are likely to include Stuart Osborne, David Williams and Connor Gilbert.

Sammy Bowden and Lorna Gleave are the pre-race favourites for the women’s honours. They have dominated the event since the end of the pandemic, Sammy winning 2021, 2022 and 2025 while Lorna won back-to-back in 2023 and 2024.

They are likely to once again finish top-10 overall, along with possibly Louise Gimson who was 10th overall last year in her sixth finish, with a time of 18hr 24min 30sec.

Others to keep a look out for include Ryan Downey, Chris Addy, Sophie Watterson-Jones, Ross Deakin, Amy Sykes and two great names of Manx athletics over the past 40 years - Robbie Callister and Steve Partington.

Chris Cale and Andrew Titley have a phenomenal tally of 45 finishes between them - the latter just tipping the balance with 23.

Frenchman Vincent De Bontin is a bit of an unknown quantity. He has featured in his national 100km race walking championships, but he may find the undulating 137km round the Isle of Man a very different challenge.

A total of 1,190 competitors of all ages over 21 have entered, in addition to another 37 men and 40 women in the under-21 classes. They race the first 32.5 miles to Peel (German) via the middle and southern parishes Braddan, Marown, Santon, Malew, Arbory, Rushen and Patrick.

The event begins from the National Sports Centre at 8am on Saturday and heads out along the main A1 as far as Glen Vine, then south via Braaid and Santon.

Motorists are reminded that many roads are either closed to vehicular traffic (particularly in the early stages) or later one-way, so it is advisable to check http://route.parishwalk.com/ for more detailed information.

Support crews are also advised to check the ‘No Stopping Zones’ as time penalties will be applied to the walkers they are supporting if they impede competitors or other road users by stopping in restricted areas.

For a rough estimate of the leading walkers’ progress - approximate arrival times are: Marown church 8.40am, Santon 9.50am, Malew 10.30am, Arbory (Ballabeg) 10.50am, Rushen 11.18am, Round Table 12.20pm, Glen Maye 1.15pm, Patrick 1.30pm, Peel 1.45pm, Kirk Michael 3pm, Ballaugh 3.35pm, Jurby 4.15pm, Bride 5.40pm, Andreas 6.15pm, Lezayre 7.22pm, Maughold 8.15pm, Hibernia 9pm, Laxey village 10.20pm, Lonan church 10.35pm, Onchan 11.25pm, Summerland 11.35pm, finish (War Memorial opposite the Gaiety Theatre) 11.45pm approximately.

- Full reports online at www.iomtoday.co.im and in next week’s editions of the Isle of Man Examiner and Manx Independent.