EAST Devon District Coucnil is giving its support to a gruelling triathlon race that starts at Budleigh Salterton on Sunday 10 August. The event was first staged in 2013.

The Jurassicman race – nicknamed The Brutal – is a long distance triathlon that involves competitors in a sea swim at Budleigh, followed by a cycle ride to Swanage in Dorset and ending with a full-length running marathon, which again finishes in Swanage.

The organisers have been given permission to use part of EDDC’s Lime Kiln car park at Budleigh for the early stages of the event, which begins with a 2.4 mile sea swim off Budleigh beach.

That is followed by a 112 mile point-to-point bike route from Budleigh to Swanage in Dorset. The event ends with a marathon which follows the coastal path from Swanage to Lulworth Cove.

The race, which is aimed at the more experienced competitor looking for a tough challenge, starts at 6am on Sunday 10 August.

Safety Competitors will be bussed from Jurassicman HQ at Cummings Farm in Charmouth to Budleigh at 4.00am on the Sunday morning, with the swim starting at 6am. They will not return to the campsite until they have finished the race or have retired.

Safety kayaks will be on hand in the sea and an inflatable rescue boat will be on standby for any medical emergencies. There will be bike racks on hand in Lime Kiln car park ready for the riders to set off immediately they have completed their swim.

Councillor Tom Wright, one of Budleigh’s representatives on EDDC, and the district council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “We welcome the organisers’ choice of our town as the starting point for this extremely gruelling event. It will be a chance to showcase the beautiful scenery on this part of the Jurassic Coast and also to underline the appeal that the sea off Budleigh has for swimmers of many levels – not just triathletes”.