South Downs Way 50km^®

Entries

Entries for 2027 open at 1900 on Sunday 19th July 2026.

Entry fee is £85 (£87 unaffiliated).

Elite Entries: If you are an elite athlete looking to compete in 2025 you may apply for an elite entry by emailing us here. As a guide, we welcome elite athlete applications from athletes with an ITRA Index score of 750+ (Men) and 600+ (Women). We will also consider those who don't feature on ITRA on a case by case basis.

SDW1 Kids Race (U12) and SDW5km Juniors Race (12-U18)

As always we host the most important races in our calendar on the Friday evening - the Kids SDW1 Mile and Juniors SDW5km. 

Entries for both races will be available on the day. There is no limit on entries. All entries are £5 and 100% of the proceeds go to one of our charity partners - Trail Fam. 

Both races kick off together at 1730 on the Friday. See full schedule here for all of the timings. 

The SDW1 is for Under 12s takes a loop around the lower part of the bowl and kids will be visible at all times - parents, guardians and friends are welcome to join.

The SDW5km is for U18s (12 and over) and takes in the same initial mile before a loop around the upper bowl. Fully marshalled and marked out for them.

We look forward to seeing many of you there!

Qualification Standard

There are no qualification standards for this event, it is open to all. Minimum Age is 20 as per UKA Rules.

What do I get for my entry fee? 

Four fully stocked aid stations
A marked course
Overnight camping at the start line
Full Medical Support
Live Tracking through open tracking. Click here to see a replay of the 2026 event.
Finish Line Food and Hot Drinks
Awards - Finishers Medal plus all category trophies to Finishers Only

Start, Finish | Getting There and Away

Registration and the race start is at Matterley Bowl. Details of how to get to the estate can be found under the travel and accom tab here.

The race finishes at Queen Elizabeth Country Park.

Details of how to get to the Start, the Finish and how to buy coach tickets for the coach from QECP to Matterley Bowl pre-race or post race can all be found under the travel and accom tab here.

Cut Offs

Runners must finish the course within a 9 hour time limit. There are additional cut offs on route which can be found in the aid station table. 

Route

The route is a beautiful but challenging 50km trail ultra through the South Downs National Park. The route takes in 4000ft of climb, visiting picturesque villages and ancient woodland while traversing some incredible trails.

A map of the route and a downloadable GPX file can be found at the bottom of this page. Please do not under any circumstances try to recce the first 7.2 miles around. Matterley Estate, it is entirely on private land.

Awards

Medal to Finishers only. Additional prizes will be awarded to First/ Second/ Third place Male and Female. 

Winners of each age category will also be awarded prizes: M40, M50, M60, M70 and F40, F50, F60, F70. 

Aid Stations

A full list of the aid stations including the relative cut off times can be found here.

The aid stations are well stocked with provisions suitable for all dietary requirements. Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten Free:

• Precision Hydration Gels, Chews and Electrolyte Drink
• Gu Gels
• Water
• Coke/ Pepsi
• Chocolate/ Sweets/ Biscuits
• Nuts
• Fruit
• Sandwiches and Wraps
• Savoury Snacks eg. Mini Sausage Rolls
• Lots of other sweet and savoury snacks

The video below takes you through what sports nutrition you will find on all of the check point tables.

There will be hot drinks available at the finish.

Finish Bags

Runners may deposit a bag at registration to be taken to the finish for them. Maximum capacity must not exceed 50 litres.

Course Markings

The course will be marked with Centurion Ribbons and Centurion marker arrows for the entire duration.

Pacers

No pacers are permitted at any point on the route. 

Crew

No crews are permitted at any point on the route.

Medical

There will be a dedicated team of race medics available throughout the race including a static first aid team at the finish line and a minimum of one roving team out on course at all times. If you suffer an injury or accident that warrants direct medical attention, the medics will be on hand to provide you with exactly that. Contact numbers and full details of what to do in an emergency will be given to you in the pre race information packs and again at race registration. Due to the nature of the course ie. some remote and far from roads, the medics may take some time to reach you, or potentially be out of contact tending to other runners. In those instances you should contact the emergency services on 999 AS WELL AS the race medics. Full instructions on what to do in an emergency can be found in the infopacks. 

Kit

80% of the course is on trail. Trail shoes are advised. 

There will be kit checks during the race and at the finish. Runners must carry the following mandatory equipment at all times. A time penalty of one hour will be imposed for any item found to be missing at any point on course. Please refer to this page for explanations on the inclusion of the below items. 

There are many options regards kit for fulfilling these requirements and those of other events. We stock what we believe to be the best options at our online store available by clicking here under the Mandatory Gear Section. Please ask us if you have any questions.

• Fully Charged Mobile Phone including the numbers for the Race Medic and Race Director (on the number you have given at registration)
• Water Bottles/Bladder capable of carrying a minimum of 1 litre.
• Survival Blanket: 1.4m x 2m minimum
• Waterproof Jacket: Gore-tex or similar, minimum 10000mm+ & must have sealed seams. 
• Cup - this must be in addition to your flasks or bladder.

The video below takes you through the mandatory gear for the race and gives some tips and advice on how to pack it.