The winner of last year’s Brighton Marathon said the proposed sale of the company is a “hugely positive step forward”.

Alix Ramsier is still owed £2,000 in prize money from Grounded Events, which has organised the marathon for the past 12 years.

However, he has urged people not to pull out of this year’s run if they have already signed up, saying he hoped the marathon would run once the sale has taken place.

Alix, 34, from Croydon, said: “I think it is important that the marathon stays and I will support it provided it is run by the right people.

“I think that the organisers should sell it to people who care about running and care about Brighton.

“People shouldn’t pull out at all. This is a hugely positive step for the event.”

Alix, who runs a lawn care company, won the event on April 10 and has now been owed prize money for over six months.

The most recent accounts for Grounded Events filed with Companies House show that the business was £1.2 million in debt.

The company announced on Wednesday that it had identified a preferred bidder for the sale. Financial Advisors FRP, representing Grounded Events, would not reveal who it is.

The Argus:

A Notice of Intention to Appoint Administrators was filed on November 1, indicating that the company intended to enter administration. However, applications for the 2023 event were still being taken until Monday, November 7.

Tom Naylor and Tim Hutchings, directors at Grounded Events, said: “Throughout this exceptionally challenging time for the industry and our event in particular, we have focused on finding a way to protect the future of Brighton Marathon Weekend.

“We believe that the process currently underway is the best approach to maintain the event’s positive legacy, and to continue inspiring thousands of new runners, while contributing to our city’s economy, and raising millions of pounds for charity.

“We would like to reiterate our thanks to our stakeholders, partners and the running community for their continued support and understanding.”