Organisers have today (Thursday 18 February) announced that the 2021 Inverness Half Marathon & 5K  due to take place on 16 May is cancelled. The event will not take place in 2021 bu will return in 2022.

Race director Malcolm Sutherland expressed sadness at the the difficult decision but felt it was the right course of action in the circumstances. He said:

"We have been monitoring the situation very closely over the last few weeks and following consultation with government agencies, local authorities and emergency services, it is clear that due to the current COVID-19 situation and the ongoing level of restrictions in Scotland, an event of this size cannot go ahead in May.

"The health, safety and welfare of our participants, volunteers, staff, stakeholders and the local community is at the heart of everything we do and will always remain our priority.

"We are extremely disappointed to have to take this decision and we are very grateful for the ongoing support from runners, our stakeholders, event partners and our local community. This is the first time in the 36-year history of the event that it has been cancelled; Inverness Half Marathon & 5K was one of the few mass participation sporting events to take place in 2020.

"We understand the many weeks of training required to prepare for a half marathon and we are also mindful that many runners will be fundraising for charity. With this in mind, we are working on some exciting plans for a virtual event.

"Unfortunately it has not been possible to find an alternative date later in 2021. Instead, we will put our efforts into ensuring the 2022 event is an outstanding experience for everyone.

"All runners with a place in the 2021 event will have their entry automatically transferred to the 2022 event scheduled for 13 March 2022. All participants have been emailed today."

Image courtesy: Caledonian Concepts