THE organisers of the Babcock 10k Race Series have announced that the event will return in 2019 – with sponsorship for a third year from the engineering services company.

Dates have also been announced for the three-race series, which will begin in Helensburgh on Thursday, May 9.

Race two in the series, the Dumbarton 10k, is on Thursday, May 16, with the final instalment, the Shettleston 10k, in Glasgow on Sunday, May 26.

Organisers and sponsors alike are hoping to top the total of 1,900 runners who entered the 2018 series – itself an increase of more than 50 per cent on the entry level in 2017, the first year of Babcock’s sponsorship.

Entries are now open at entrycentral.com, and until December 31, there is a special ‘early bird’ discount, reducing the three-race series entry from £43 for affiliated club runners to £33, and the £49 rate for unaffiliated runners to £39.

The race is expected to attract a bumper entry from Helensburgh athletes – and from Royal Navy and civilian personnel at HM Naval Base Clyde, with Babcock employees themselves set to swell the numbers on the starting line for each race.

Gavin Leckie, managing director of Babcock at HMNB Clyde said: “We are delighted to support the Babcock 10k Race Series for a third year.

“This is an excellent series of races which play an important role in promoting health and fitness within the local communities in which they are run.

“I’m personally very enthusiastic about getting involved and joining in with participants from across our teams in HMNB Clyde.”