THE London 2012 Olympic torch will be in the island today (Saturday).
It will be carried by 26 Manx champions and travel on different types of transport, including a lifeboat and horse tram.
The torch will arrive at Ronaldsway Airport onboard a special plane from Liverpool at about 9.30am and will be transferred to the National Sports Centre Stadium in Douglas for the start of its Manx journey at 10.30am.
From the NSC it will loop through Anagh Coar, Farmhill and Pulrose – including a motorcycle ride between Quarter Bridge and Braddan with former TT winner Milky Quayle and three-times world enduro champion David Knight – before being carried down to North Quay and over the lifting bridge.
From there the RNLI Lifeboat will drop the flame off to a horse tram at Circus Beach on Loch Promenade, which will escort it as far as the War Memorial.
A cyclist will then ride with it along the rest of Douglas seafront to the Manx Electric Railway station, where the torch will catch a tram to Laxey.
It is expected to arrive in Laxey at 1.20pm. After a photoshoot at the iconic Laxey Wheel, it will be conveyed back to Onchan ( 2.40pm), where it will be paraded from Whitebridge Road to the bottom of Summerhill Road.
The parade resumes in Ballasalla (3.15pm) before heading down to Castletown (3.40pm), after which it will catch a flight to Belfast.
In Castletown there will be a community celebration between 2pm and 4.30pm, with sporting activities, entertainment, sporting demonstrations and the chance to have your picture taken with the Olympic torch.
In Braddan, parking is suspended from 6am to 11am in Saddle Road/Vicarage Road from Saddle Road roundabout to the entrance of Kirby industrial estate.
In Douglas, North Quay from its junction with Quine’s Corner to Ridgeway Street, will be closed from 11am to midday.
For street-by-street details and proposed start times of when the Olympic flame will travel through the island, visit www.london2012.com/ olympictorchrelay
The island’s torchbearers include those who were successful through the public nomination processes run by London Organising Committee Olympic Games (LOCOG) and the presenting partners – Coca Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.
Each torchbearer will wear a white and gold uniform designed by Adidas.
The torchbearers include Cronk-y-Berry School head teacher Rob Sellors, Breakthrough Breast Cancer Isle of Man group chairman Angie Aire, RNLI souvenir secretary Simon McFerran and Isle of Man Cricket Club honorary life member Ian Tomlinson.
After Northern Ireland, the relay route continues through Eire, Scotland, England and the Channel Isles and then it’s back to London in time for July 27, when the cauldron will be lit at the Opening Ceremony.
• Email your pictures of the Olympic torch celebrations to {mailto:opinions@newsiom.co.im|opinions(at)newsiom.co.im}.
