Winter Downs 100 2025 Preview

The second edition of the Winter Downs 100 kicks off Friday 12th December. With a sell out field of just over 100 athletes looking to see if they can complete the 100 mile point to point course from Amberley Working Museum in the heart of the South Downs National Park to Juniper Hall at Box Hill. The course takes in the second half of the Winter Downs 200 which of course kicks off two days prior. The fastest of them will be home and dry (literally) by the time the 100 kicks off but those fighting those 200 mile cut offs will this year for the first time enjoy company and camaraderie from those 100 milers. 

The 1400 start on Friday gives runners just under 2 hours of daylight before they hit a 16 hour night. Many of them will be in before the sun rises again. But they have up to 35 hours or until 0100 Sunday to cover the distance if they need it. 

There are strong fields in both the mens and womens divisions with some returning for more of this incredible adventure.

Follow the race live via the website here (live link will be available from Monday 8th December).

WOMENS

Laura Swanton-Rouvelin: Laura won the inaurual edition of the 200 miler back in 2023. Her list of accolades is so extensive it's hard to know where to begin but includes prior to that a Spine Race finish, an Arc of Attrition win and a win at our Autumn 100 amongst others. What's clear is that she is one of the most experienced winter racers. Since then she has won the Hardmoors 200, North Coast 110 mile as well as finishing on the podium at the Northern Traverse and banked another Spine finish to boot.

Laura Swanton-Rouvelin

Sophie Power: Fresh off a Team Gold at the 24 hour world champs, this is quite a change of scene for the founder of She Races. Whilst 24hr racing has become her biggest focus in recent years, a record running the length of Ireland and successful run outs at both our North and South Downs Way 50 and 100 mile events are all in her back catalogue too.

Natalie Utting: Winner of this years South Wales 200, she has had much success at Pegasus events in recent years with wins at some of their other 100 milers etc. In 2024 she was also fifth at the Autumn 100.

Ally Whitlock: Third at Winter Downs 200 in 2023. Ally has a raft of top five finishes in our events including second at the Autumn 100 in 2022, fourth at the South Downs Way 100 in 2021 and third at the North Downs Way 100 last year - when she also ran home in the top four of all of our 50 mile events. This summer she was eighth at the Summer Spine.

Ally Whitlock

Jennie Dunkley: Jennie is having a remarkable year, where she kicked things off by winning the Thames Path 100. She went on to complete the Grand Slam of 100s with three top tens along the way and aims to cap things off with a fifth and final 100 mile finish with us in 2025.

Laura McGill: Sixth at the 200 mile last year, Laura has been a consistent top ten performer at our events over the years including at Chiltern Wonderland 50 where she finished second in 2023. This year she was eighth at the NDW100. 

Louise Langmead: Finished tenth at the SDW100 this year in her third finish there. Has also placed in the top ten at Autumn 100 in the past.

MEN

Geoff Cheshire: The stand out runner last year, Geoff blazed home in an inaugural course record of 15:44. Past winner of the TP100, previous course record holder at the Autumn 100 with a sub 14 hour finish there and he's been past Chiltern Wonderland 50 champion amongst many other accolades.

Geoff Cheshire

James Bennett: Continues to turn out an astonishing level of racing that really belies sustainability. Last year he became the youngest person to finish 100 x 100 milers. The volume of racing does seem to have the effect of high variance in his 100 mile performances but he is well capable of competitive results. At the Autumn 100 in October he was fifth in 16:58 and back in the summer he won the 130 mile Leeds to Liverpool Canal Race.

Harry Pickering: 14th at this years SDW100 in 16:49. Went on to finish third at the Serpent Trail 100km in the summer.

Nathan Hutton: Ninth here last year, in 2024 he also won the South Wales 200.