Double Olympic champion Iain Percy will take on 10 miles at the Morrisons Great South Run on Sunday 25th October, in aid of the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, a charity set up in memory of Andrew “Bart” Simpson.

Lifelong friends and sailing partners, Percy and Simpson won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver at London 2012, before Andrew tragically lost his life in an America’s Cup training accident in May 2013.

In July 2013, Iain Percy founded the charity alongside Sir Ben Ainslie and Andrew’s wife Leah, which aims to “inspire the next generation” by using sailing to transform the lives of young people in the UK and around the world.

Currently team manager for Artemis Racing, Southampton-born Percy will make the journey to Portsmouth for the Morrisons Great South Run, following the final Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series event in Bermuda this month.

The world’s leading 10 mile run starts and finishes in Southsea, overlooking the Solent, which provided the backdrop for the previous World Series event hosted by Portsmouth in July.

The event gives participants a unique opportunity to run through Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard, passing iconic landmarks such as HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose Museum.

The flat course has been graced by world-class athletes such as Liz McColgan, Paula Radcliffe, Sonia O’Sullivan, and Mo Farah, who won the men’s race in 2009.

Iain Percy said: “I’m thoroughly looking forward to joining members of the team, and supporters of Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, along with thousands of others for this iconic run in Portsmouth in a few weeks.

“The Foundation has achieved so much in such a short amount of time and this is thanks to all the funds we raise during inspiring events like this. Us sailors aren’t known for our running ability and this will certainly be a challenge, Bart would be very proud!”

The event has grown into a festival of sport in Portsmouth and Southsea, with nearly 30,000 people taking part in four events across two days, including the Morrisons Junior & Mini Great South Run and the Morrisons Great South Run 5k.

Entries are open at www.greatrun.org/south