With more than 54 years TT experience between them and having both recently hit the big 50, TT legends Michael Rutter and John McGuinness take time away from the track for a light hearted and more age appropriate competition at Ramsey Crowne Green Bowling Club.

“Michael has everything, the looks, the length and the coins” says McGuinness as the fiercely competitive duo add a friendly wager to the challenge.

Rutter and McGuinness throughout recall some of their earliest memories of each other. John regales onlookers with one of his first memories of Michael at 18 years old in the Super Teen Championship as he rode a Kawasaki KR1S, saying ‘he had a better bike and a famous dad’. Whilst the competition remains fierce, the mutual respect for each other’s achievements is clear, sharing memories and joking about the only argument they’ve ever had.

Together they describe their success in the TT as partly luck, but their strikes in this challenging game of bowls as skill. Who has what it takes to win?