Kirk Michael driver Rob Watson continued his impressive run of victories on Manx closed roads stage rallying as he won the Black Horse Finance Stages Rally by one minute 48 seconds.

Overnight it was Grenaby driver George Collister who held a single one second lead with Janet Craine in his Mitsubishi Evo 3 following a frenetic opening nine stages.

Watson and Rob Fagg held second in the Vauxhall Nova kit car, with Nigel Cannell/Andrew Holmes (Vauxhall Corsa) only a further seven seconds back, just three up on Steve Quine and Norman Quayle (Vauxhall Astra).

However, less than half a mile into the first test at Little London, two of those top four were gone!

Collister was first on the road and was caught out by the treacherous conditions after heavy overnight rain.

He aquaplaned on very wet roads, crashing the car and ripping a wheel off.

Watson got through but Cannell arrived at the same corner and was caught out in an even bigger way, rolling the Corsa out of the rally.

It promoted Watson to a lead of 34 seconds over Quine, with Paul Curphey and Chris Heyes promoted to third in their Mitsubishi Evo 8.

However, on the very next test at Staarvey and the Switchback, Curphey had a heavy impact at the Ballagyr ford, breaking the radiator and he withdrew after the next stage.

Among all the mayhem, Watson and Fagg set fastest time on all eight of the days tests to arrive back at the St Johns finish this afternoon one minute and 48 seconds to the good over Quine and Quayle.

Mark Cubbon recorded his best ever result with third place in a group N Evo 7, with Roy Sweetman on the pace-notes.