Southern 100: Isle of Man road races 'provisionally set to go ahead in 2021'

Dean Harrison has been a regular competitor at the Southern 100 Road Races in recent years

The Southern 100 Road Races on the Isle of Man are provisionally scheduled to go ahead in 2021, organisers have said, despite the cancellation of next year's TT event.

They are due to take place between 12 and 15 July on the Billown circuit in the south of the island.

Southern 100 Racing said the "planning and organisation" is set to continue.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the island is currently closed to almost all non-residents.

The Southern 100, which takes place on a 6.8km (4.25 mile) course, relies heavily on volunteer marshals and medics who travel to the island each year.

A spokesman for the organisers urged those planning to visit for the event to make sure any travel or accommodation bookings are "changeable or refundable", should it have to be cancelled.

He said: "It is important to understand that with the ongoing restrictions regarding the Covid-19 pandemic likely to still be in place early into 2021, events may have to be cancelled due to circumstances and Isle of Man government policy in force prior to and during the event."

Last week, the island's government announced the cancellation of the 2021 TT Festival, which was scheduled for early June, amid fears of Covid-19 spreading.

However, Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly said scrapping the event did "not necessarily" mean the island's border closure would remain in place until then.

All major road racing events scheduled for the Isle of Man during 2020 were cancelled because of the pandemic.