This year’s Tough Mann Adventure Challenge in association with Manx Telecom promises to be bigger and better than ever – but you will have to be quick if you haven’t entered yet. The event is a 10km assault course style race which includes 25 obstacles such as muddy bogs, rope scrambles and monkey bars. This year it takes place on Saturday August 6 at Ballamoar Farm, Ballaugh, and it’s open to all abilities with the idea being to complete the course by running, walking and crawling to get across the finish line. Most participants take part to meet their own personal challenges, or raise funds for charity – but it’s a race in its own right and there are some great prizes up for grabs with Manx Telecom donating GoXtreme Action Cams for each of the individual category winners, and Fitbit chargeHR activity wristbands with heart monitors for the team winners.

Event organiser Kez Wardell is urging anyone who hasn’t entered yet to do so as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. He added: “One of the great things about Tough Mann is that there are always new obstacles, so there’s always something new to challenge competitors even if they have completed it before. This year we have a sandbag carry which will be a real test of strength and stamina – the section involves covering about 200 yards, and the bags will weigh 10kgs or so, or a lot more if it’s wet! There’s also a new ‘up and over’ style obstacle, so I would advise competitors to do some extra jumping and crawling in training!”

Entries close at midnight on July 10 and must be made at www.toughmann.com – it costs ?46 per person which includes a commemorative tee-shirt and a Bushy’s beer for all finishers aged 18 or over, or a soft drink for under 18s. ?1 from every entry will be donated to Tabitha’s Trust, the charity which helps families affected by child bereavement. The event is strictly limited to a maximum of 750 competitors, so entries may close earlier than July 10 if this number is reached before then – so don’t delay if you want to be certain of joining in the fun!

As in 2015, there will again be King and Queen of the Mountain prizes for the first male and first female competitors to reach the top of ‘Killer Hill’, the infamous climb at the start of the course which ascends 1,000 feet in just 2kms. As in last year’s event, the first competitors to the top will be awarded with King of the Mountain and Queen of the Mountain jerseys provided by Pro Vision Clothing, the company run by Isle of Man cycling legend Steve Joughin.

Manx Telecom became the headline sponsor for the Tough Mann Adventure Challenge last year as part of a three year deal, and it’s one of three major mass participations sports events which are sponsored by the Island’s leading communications company – the others being the Manx Telecom Parish Walk and Manx Telecom End2End Mountain Bike Challenge. Tough Mann is also being supported by event partners including Paddy Power, Manx Independent Carriers, Bushy’s beer, Swagelok, visitisleofman.com and West Coast Fitness.

For more information go to www.toughmann.com or follow the event Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ToughMannIOM  where you will also find some fantastic videos of the 2015 event. All cmpetitors must be aged 16 or over on August 6, 2016 – photo ID will be required at signing on. For more information about Tabitha’s Trust go to www.tabithastrust.com.  

Photo - Action from the 2015 Tough Mann Adventure Challenge in association with Manx Telecom.