For a small country,sport in the Isle of Man plays an important part in making the island known to the wider world. The principal international sporting event held on the island is the annualIsle of Man TTmotorcycling event. However, the Isle of Man is represented internationally in a number of other sports at theCommonwealth Games and theIsland Games.
The Isle of Man hosted the IVCommonwealth Youth Games in September 2011. The island started theIsland Games in 1985 and hosted them once again in 2001. The most notable international event held on the Isle of Man is theIsle of Man TT motorcycle races, held annually in June. RowerSidney Swann and cyclistPeter Kennaugh are the only islanders to have wonOlympic Games gold medals, whilepolo playerFrederick Agnew Gill won a bronze medal in 1900 and cyclistMark Cavendish won a silver in 2016. In the Olympic Games, Manx athletes may compete inTeam GB.
TheIsle of Man Cricket Association broke their affiliation with the Lancashire Cricket Board in 2004 to become affiliate members of theInternational Cricket Council and compete as a national team in their own right. TheIsle of Man cricket team competed in their first official ICC competitions in 2005.
TheManx Trophy cycling event is held annually. The Isle of Man boasts a very strong showing in the world of cycling, with several high-profile names and many talented up-and-coming young riders.
ManxmanMark Cavendish won two World Championships in theMadison, having won the event in Manchester at the2008 UCI Track Cycling World Championships along with race partnerBradley Wiggins, and also withRob Hayles at theLos AngelesWorld Championships in 2005. In 2006, he won a gold medal in theScratch race on the track at theCommonwealth Games inMelbourne. After failing to win a medal in theMadison at the2008 Olympic Games, Cavendish switched exclusively to road racing. He currently rides forTeam Qhubeka NextHash. His sprinting abilities have made him one of the most prolific talents in British cycling, with 35 stage wins to date in theTour de France between 2008 and 2024, and thegreen jersey in the2011 Tour de France. In2011, Cavendish, with the support of the British team, won theWorld Championship Road Race.
In 1970, Manxman Pete Buckley won a gold medal in the Men's Road Racing Championship at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch. Just a couple of years later, his life and career were cut short when a dog ran into the road, causing Pete to crash and subsequently die from the resultant cerebral injuries.
There are fiverugby union clubs in the island. The main domestic competition is the Dorchester Maritime Manx Cup; the secondary domestic competition is the Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield.
The current holders of the Manx Cup areDouglas Rugby Club and the Shield is held byRamsey Rugby Club. The other island clubs areCastletown Rugby Club,Southern Nomads Rugby Club andVagabonds Rugby Club.
Douglas, Vagabonds and Ramsey participate in the English leagues.
The Isle of Man is famous for itsTT motorbike racing event, which began in 1904 as a motorcar race. TT stands forTourist Trophy. From 1905, the TT was held as a closed-roads motorcycle racing event and the original course was extended in the 1920s to use the currentSnaefell Mountain Course. This is now a series of annual motorcycleroad races over 37.73 mi (60.72 km)[1] held from late May to early June.
The 4.25-mile (6.84 km) Billown circuit[2] nearCastletown has been the scene of further events such as theSouthern 100 in May, June and July since 1955.
Further racing takes place on the TT course each August–September in the form of theManx Grand Prix (MGP). The idea of motor cycle racing for amateurs and private entrants on the famous TT course gave rise to the birth of the MGP back in 1921.
Linked to all this motor cycle racing are the Supporters Clubs, Riders Associations, the TT Marshals Association and the MGP Marshals Association.
The Isle of Man hosts a number ofrallying events including theRally Isle of Man (formerly the Manx International Rally or Manx Trophy Rally) a round of theBritish Open Rally Championship. Also the Manx Rally (formerly the Manx National Rally), a round of the British National Rally Championship.Mark Higgins is a notedManx rally driver, having won the Manx Rally a record five times, along with other events.
Association football is also popular, with theIsle of Man Football Association running aleague of 27 clubs in two divisions, as well as afootball combination for the reserve teams of the league clubs. There is also anational football team andEllan Vannin team, although they do not participate inUEFA orFIFA tournaments. TheIsle of Man Football Association has the status of aCounty Football Association within theEnglish Football Association so is therefore represented by theEngland national football team. People born in the Isle of Man are eligible to play forEngland,Scotland,Wales orNorthern Ireland
In August 2019, it was announced thatFC Isle of Man was investigating plans for a new club to be formed on the island which would join theEnglish football league system.[3] In December 2019, the club officially applied to join theNorth West Counties Football League, at Step 6 of the English non-league system.[4] The league would then take the application to theFootball Association with 'a recommendation that FC Isle of Man is accepted providing the appropriate criteria is met by 31 March 2020'.[5]
The Isle of Man has very successful men's and women's gymnastics teams and individuals competing in European, Commonwealth and World level events. The Isle of Man Gymnastics Association sends selected gymnasts from local clubs including Ellan Vannin and Manx Gym to events such as the Commonwealth Games, Island Games, Northern Europeans, and Celtic Cup, where the island competes with national representation. Island gymnasts also compete in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and further afield at both Championship, Challenge or Graded level. The sport has a very large growing young population, with larger Douglas clubs Manx Gym and Ellan Vannin, and smaller clubs Southern Gymnastics and Northern Gymnastics, drawing from the schools and the kindergartens.[6]
There are many Manxhockey teams, with mixed, men's and ladies' leagues. The mixed league runs from September to December with the men's and ladies' leagues running from January to April. Each club has a nominated home pitch which is one of the National Sports Centres regional astro turf pitches. Bacchas, Vikings & Harlequins Hockey Clubs all play at the NSC in Douglas,Valkyrs Hockey Club play at theQEII High School inPeel, Castletown Hockey Club play atCastle Rushen High School andRamsey Hockey Club play atRamsey Grammar School.
TheManx Hockey Association (MHA) maintains live records of all league fixtures, results and scorers.
The Isle of Man is also home to the annualWhit Hockey Festival. Held over the last weekend in May, the tournament welcomes many sides from around the UK to play mixed, men's and ladies' hockey at all levels of ability. Acting on behalf of the Isle of Man Government, the entire event is covered by professional photographer,John Coxon.
Target shooting has a long and successful tradition on the Isle of Man. Ranges and clubs exist for rifle, pistol and shotgun disciplines and the various elements come together under the umbrella organisation, the Isle of Man Target Shooting Federation. Shooting has won more medals for the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Games than any other sport. The Islands shooters include World medalists, British National Champions as well as Island Games Champions where collectively shooting is one of the most active sports.
Athletics is also well supported on the Isle of Man. One of the highlights of the race calendar is the Easter Athletics Festival, a great social and athletic weekend, now in its 46th year.Manx Harriers is the main athletics club on the Island, and it is successful in the UK when teams of athletes go to compete.(2008).
The sport ofcammag originated on the Isle of Man. It is similar to theScottish game ofshinty, andIrishhurling. Once the most popular sport on the island, it ceased to be played by the start of the 20th century. It has more recently been revived with an annual match atSt John's.
Taekwondo is a martial art sport that is growing in popularity. TheIsle of Man Taekwondo Association was admitted as an associate member of theWorld Taekwondo in 2006 and the Isle of Man can compete as a country in WTF competitions.
Basketball is also played in the Isle of Man.
The Monarch Assurance InternationalChess tournament was held inPort Erin every September–October from 1992 to 2007. ThePokerStars Isle of Man International Chess Tournament took place in 2014 and 2015 inDouglas. In 2016Chess.com became the new sponsor of the event, which was renamed to Chess.com Isle of Man International.
The board game ofGo visits the island biennially.[clarification needed]
There is also a growing mud and obstacle running scene, with the Tough Mann Adventure Challenge starting in 2013.
Race Walking is popular as well and culminates in the yearlyParish Walk, a non-stop race over 85 miles.
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