Classic TT: Rutter victorious on Ripley Land Honda

Michael Rutter won the Okell's 350cc Classic TT by more than two minutes after a host of leading contenders retired.

The race was reduced to three laps after being delayed by more than three hours due to a serious problem with the race communications system.

Rutter took the victory for Ripley Land Racing on a Drixton Honda, crossing the line to win by 2m 14.5 seconds from Phil McGurk with third place going to Doug Snow.

Nigel Moore had been holding third place on Andy Mitchell's Honda but was cruelly robbed of a podium, retiring after Cronk-ny-Mona on the final lap.

Last year's winner Lee Johnston retired on the Black Eagle Racing MV Agusta at Ballaugh on the first lap with William Dunlop - who had been holding second place at Ballaugh on the Davies Motorsport Honda behind Rutter - pulling in at Parliament Square.

Rutter's lead at Ramsey on lap one was 2.5 seconds from Dan Cooper, with Jamie Coward a further five seconds behind in third.

The veteran racer posted a first lap of 100.988mph but Cooper upped the pace on lap two and moved ahead by 1.7 seconds at Ballaugh with Chris Swallow hauling himself up to third despite incurring a 30-second penalty for a technical infringement for having prohibited items in pit lane.

Maria Costello, William Dunlop and Alan Oversby also picked up 30-second penalties for the same breach of regulations.

Cooper's lead had increased to three seconds at Ramsey but Rutter had reduced the gap to 1.3 seconds by the end of the lap.

However, Cooper was late at Glen Helen on the third and final lap and it soon emerged that he had retired at Ballacraine, with Rutter taking the a commanding lead of 53.693 seconds over Swallow.

More drama was to come as Swallow stopped at Graham Memorial on the Mountain, promoting McGurk to second with Doug Snow gaining the final place on the rostrum.

Dave Madsen-Mygdal (Honda), James Hillier (Honda) and Mark Herbertson (AJS) completed the top six.

Alan Oversby, Danny Webb and Jamie Coward were also among the retirements.

Olie Linsdell came off at Signpost Corner on the opening lap but escaped unhurt.

Six-time TT winner Jim Redman, who claimed four consecutive 350cc World Championship titles from 1962 to 1965, presented race winner Rutter with the trophy.