MORE than 1,000 elite athletes took to the streets and seas of Weymouth to take part in the first ever Challenge Weymouth Triathlon.

See all the pictures from our gallery here.

A total of 1,475 competitors took part in the event, with the final athlete not expected to cross the finish line until around 11pm tonight.

On what was a blustery start to the day, organisers had to delay the start of the race as the weather conditions and rough seas meant it was too dangerous to swim, meaning the professional triathletes plunged into the sea at Lodmoor Beach just after 7am.

After the swim, the sun finally shone down on the race as the professionals embarked on the remaining part of the full course, cycling 180km before completing a marathon of 42.2km.

The athletes arrived to rapturous applause after completing the marathon near Weymouth Pavilion, with many people carrying their children as they crossed exhausted over the finishing line.

In the professional event, Joe Skipper finished first in the men's with a time of seven hours and 49 minutes, and in the women's event Eleanor Haresign scooped first place with a time of eight hours and 54 minutes.

Speaking to the Dorset Echo after the race, Mr Skipper said: “There was an absolutely brilliant reaction from the people on the streets, the support was amazing.

“The course was really good. The swim was one of the hardest things I have ever done. When I saw the waves I thought wow, but it made it more fun.”

Eleanor Haresign said: “It was fantastic, what a lovely day.

“I am gobsmacked to have won, it's only my second time so to win is amazing.

“The support from everyone on the streets was brilliant.”

Alan Rose, race director, praised the work of the borough and county councils in helping to get the event organised.

Mr Rose said: “We had a slight change of plan before the race, reducing the swimming, but the safety of the competitors was paramount so we reduced the size of the course in the sea.

“It's been a great day and we are pleased that the athletes really enjoyed it and the running course through the town centre has been phenomenal.

“The support from the town has been exceptional and we have to congratulate everyone who came out to support the athletes.

“The most exciting thing for us is this was our first year, there are things we have learnt from this which we can implement next year.”

There was also a half-triathlon to take part in, with the distances of the events halved, and Chris Whitcombe finished first in the men's event with a time of four hours and 22 minutes, and Carol Bridge finished first in the women's event with a time of four hours and 46 minutes.

Check out our full picture gallery from the event here.

 TWO cyclists, believed to be part of the Challenge Weymouth event, were involved in a collision at Affpuddle yesterday.

The incident happened at 10.42am and a police spokesman said one person sustained a slight knee injury and another suffered a chest injury in the collision on the B3390.

Although the injuries were not believed to be serious, a local resident said he witnessed one of the casualties being airlifted to hospital.

He added that, while villagers did not want to discourage organisers from using the route again, the dangerous nature of the road through Affpuddle meant it did need careful marshalling.

A spokesman for South West Ambulance Service said: “The call came in at 10.42am and it was a male and a female involved in a cycling collision.

“The female was airlifted to hospital because she had slight breathing difficulties, but the injuries are not believed not to be too serious.”