Former Manx commonwealth athlete completes Spine Race

Graeme Hatcher finished challenge late last night (15 Jan)

A former Isle of Man commonwealth games athlete has completed the grueling Spine Race in the UK.

Graeme Hatcher crossed the finish line shortly before midnight (15 January) to complete the challenge in sixth place in the Men's/Open class.

Among those congratulating his efforts is the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association, for whom Mr Hatcher was General Team Manager for the Isle of Man at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The association is praising what it calls an 'incredible effort' by him to complete the event.

Along with his managerial role in 2022, Mr Hatcher also represented the Island in cycling at the Commonwealth Games between 2002 and 2010, competing alongside the likes of Sir Mark Cavendish and Peter Kennaugh.

Mr Hatcher was also Sports Team Manager for the cycling teams at the Commonwealth events in Glasgow in 2014 and Gold Coast in 2018.

Elsewhere, Island resident Nikki Arthur is still going strong in the women's category of this year's Spine Race - at the time of writing, she sits third in the women's race with one checkpoint to go before the finish in Kirk Yetholm.