IRONMAN organisers have confirmed that the event will take place in Weymouth this weekend.

Ironman 70.3 will be taking place on Sunday, September 18, and is made up of three parts, a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile cycle and a 13.1 mile run and sees athletes compete to make it to the finish line and qualify for the VinFast Ironman 70.3 World Championship which will take place in 2023.

In a statement confirming that the event will go ahead, organisers said: “The sad news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II has been felt widely by many within our community and we share our deepest condolences with the Royal Family.

“Over the last few days, we have reviewed updates from national government and consulted with local stakeholders and authorities. We can confirm that this weekend's IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth event will continue as scheduled on Sunday 18 September.

“As we are conscious that many members of the community, as well as athletes, will be grieving the loss of Her Majesty the Queen, we will be making a few adjustments to the weekend's activities. A moment of silence will be observed at the swim start on Sunday and we further encourage athletes to pay their respects on race day, however they feel comfortable doing.

“We thank Dorset and Weymouth council and officials, the community, and our partners for their support, and wish all athletes a safe preparation ahead of Sunday's event. An email communication has been sent to registered participants.”

The event will kick off at 7.15am with a swim from Greenhill end of Weymouth beach, opposite Lodmoor Country Park and in previous years, it has seen thousands of spectators attend to watch the athletes compete.

Athletes requiring further support are requested to contact weymouth70.3@ironman.com.