The change of date for the Manx 20km race walking championships at Andreas proved popular with local and a visiting GB international athletes alike.
One such supporter from the UK was Alex Wright who represented Britain with distinction in the recent world championships in Moscow over 20km.
He was visiting the island with former Manx Harrier and junior international Lauren Whelan. Also in attendance was national endurance coach mentor Andi Drake who presented the awards at the conclusion of racing.
The women’s 20km race had the potential of an exciting battle between reigning UK champion Bethan Davies, Welsh counterpart Heather Lewis and top Manx female Michelle Turner.
The men’s event was an entirely local contest, but no less interesting with Parish Walk winner Michael George and 100-mile National champion Richard Gerrard, among others, up against the junior duo of Alex Eaton and Adam Cowin.
Davies took a keen hold and the overall lead in the early stages, closely tracked by Lewis, with the local trio of George, Gerrard and Turner 30 seconds in arrears after 5km. Eaton and Cowin took their time to get into the longer event in only their second outing at the distance.
By halfway, everything had closed up considerably with the top-five separated by only seven seconds.
Turner wisely stopped at halfway, a recent illness finding her still feeling less than 100 per cent.
Former Kent walker Becky Collins, now racing for North Down AC, also called it a day at 10km happy to record a sharp 54min time.
Eaton made his charge after a patient first half. By the following lap he was up to second position and by three-quarter distance he had taken the lead, chased by George.
It was a lead young Eaton was not to relinquish and, racing with pace judgement way beyond his years, he took the overall win with an impressive personal best of 1hr 40min 52sec, almost 10 minutes quicker than his debut 20km walk last year at Ronaldsway.
George was 20s down, with top female Lewis third overall a couple of minutes behind George setting a lifetime best of 1:43.35 some two minutes quicker than her previous best.
Gerrard picked up his pace in the latter stages to take third man and Bethan Davies was second woman home despite suffering stomach and sickness problems in the latter stages.
Richard Wild was another to pace his race to perfection, recording a fine personal best inside 1hr 50min for the first time. Adam Cowin was a bit out of sorts, letting his pace slip in the last half of the race - but hopefully will have learned a lot from this outing.
In the 5km event, Tom Partington recorded a fine personal best and looked very tidy, which should fill him with confidence for his upcoming English Schools debut in Birmingham. Runner-up Becky Greatbatch recorded a sound over-distance performance in preparation for her appearance at the same event.
Isaac Quayle and Alexander Kneale were very closely matched in the junior mile, finishing two seconds apart.
Thanks to the race officials and supporters who turned out in showery weather and Andreas Village Commissioners for the facilities.