The roads of the island are set to be filled with classic Porsches, Lancias and Alfa Romeos as the fourth edition of the Three Legs of Mann Rally takes place next week (March 15-16), writes Chris Boyde.

The event is run by the Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation (HERO) and is for vehicles produced before 1986.

With a rapidly growing reputation, it has attracted entries from leading historic crews from across Europe, including Austria, Germany, Holland, Italy and the Czech Republic.

The Three Legs take place on Friday daytime, evening and Saturday daytime.

There will be 26 autotest-style sections across the event and a further 22 regularity (average speed) sections.

Covering 390 miles in total, the rally will include closed venues such as Jurby Motordrome and some of the island’s plantations, along with open roads runs. Closed roads sections will be kept to minimum but offer a unique element.

Under the guidance of HERO director Guy Woodcock, a regular competitor in the island and former winner of the Three Legs, assisted locally by former Rally Isle of Man clerk of the course Alan Teare, entries range from a 1956 Austin Healey to a 4.7-litre Ford Mustang, a Jaguar XJ-S and the more familiar Porsches, Minis and Ford Escorts.

As with all motorsport, the event needs marshals and timekeepers. You do not need to be a registered marshal to get involved and it is a great, fun event to start out on if you’ve never done it before. Even if you only have a few hours to spare that will be a huge help.

If you can assist, please contact chief marshal Ian Butcher at [email protected] or Alison Monnier on the IoM Timekeepers Facebook page. There will be a marshal’s signing-on and briefing session at the TT Grandstand next Wednesday between 5.30 and 7pm that will include a briefing from the organisers.

Running alongside the event on the Friday night section will be a round of the local IoM Navigational Rally Championship, Druidale Motor Club’s March Rally, that will give local crews the chance to sample something a little bit different, and also ensure plenty of familiar faces out on the event.

Two years ago, the winners of the local section, Jess Collister and Adam Yates, put in a performance that would have seen them in the top four overall. How well can our teams do this year?

l More details on the event will appear in next week’s Manx Independent.