The South Downs Way 100 2025 – Results

South Downs Way 100 – A Historic Race Concludes with Thrilling Finishes

The 14th annual South Downs Way 100 (SDW100®) is a challenging 100-mile non-stop foot race and a key event in the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series. The SDW100 took place on Saturday, June 14, 2025. This year’s event saw a strong field of 600 starters tackling the historic South Downs Way National Trail.

Event and Course Overview

The race commenced at Matterley Bowl, near Winchester, the ancient capital of Saxon England, and led runners eastward along the chalk ridgeway. The conclusion is at the Eastbourne Sports Club Athletics Track. The course covered 100 miles (161 KM) with an elevation gain of 12700 ft (3800 m). A unique 4-mile (7.2-mile) loop through the private Matterley Estate started the race, which runners were advised not to recce beforehand.

Participants were subject to a strict 30-hour cut-off period. The race featured two waves: Wave 1 started at 05:30 and Wave 2 at 06:30. Only runners in Wave 1 were eligible for overall awards, while age group awards could be won from either wave.

Support for the athletes included a minimum of 12 well-stocked aid stations offering various provisions, including gels, electrolyte drinks, water, hot drinks from Houghton onwards, and hot food at Washington and the finish line. Full medical support, including static first aid teams, rapid response cars, and a race ambulance, was available in case of emergencies.

Mandatory equipment included a fully charged mobile phone, minimum 1 litre water capacity, a survival blanket or bag, a waterproof jacket (minimum 10000mm+ with sealed seams), a whistle, a headtorch, a backup light source (both minimum 100 lumens from Washington onwards), a long-sleeved base layer or fleece top, and a cup or mug. A one-hour time penalty was imposed for any missing mandatory item.

Pacers were permitted from the Kithurst Hill Crew Point (mile 50), with only one pacer allowed to accompany a runner at any given time. Pacers were required to wear a Pacer Race bib. Each runner was allowed one crew vehicle on the course, with access limited to designated crew points.

To qualify for the event, participants needed to have completed a minimum of a 50-mile distance race within 15 hours between January 1, 2020, and race day.

Pre-Race Contenders

Prior to the event, significant attention was given to the anticipated elite field.

Among the women, notable pre-race contenders included:

• Claire Bannwarth (France, ITRA 720), known for her high volume of competitive kilometres.
• Julia Davis (UK, La Sportiva, ITRA 672), a strong contender after her fourth-place finish at Kullamannen by UTMB in 2023 and third at Mozart 100 by UTMB (83km) in 2024.
• Nicole Frisby (UK, ITRA 621), who had recently secured second place at the Hundred Hills 50km.
• Georgia Campbell (UK, ITRA 615), who placed third at the Silva Northern Traverse last year.
• Lucy Gossage (UK, ITRA 669), an accomplished triathlete with fourteen Ironman wins, also boasting victories in trail running such as The Spine Race and a course record at The Lap (47 miles).

In the men’s field, the following athletes were highlighted as strong contenders:

• Mark Darbyshire (UK, ITRA 870), a formidable runner with multiple 100-mile course records in the UK and a recent winner of the South Downs Way 50-mile race, seen as excellent preparation for the 100-mile event.
• Hugh Tibbs (UK, ITRA 763), who finished second at the SDW100 in 2024 and recently won the North Downs Way 50.
• Geoffrey Cheshire (UK, ITRA 789), winner of the Winter Downs 100 in late 2024 and third in the North Downs Way 100 in 2024, aiming for “revenge” after a previous DNF at the SDW100.
• Adrien Combe (France, ITRA 770), who had placed fourth at Trans Aubrac and sixth at Trail du Saint-Jacques by UTMB in 2024.
• Jonathan Young (UK, ITRA 758), winner of the 111-mile Punk Panther’s Nidderdale Way.
• Jez Bragg (United Kingdom, ITRA 723), the 2010 UTMB winner, who finished fifth in the SDW100 in 2024.

  

South Downs Way 100 Race Results: Top Finishers and Category Winners

The 2025 South Downs Way 100 saw 395 finishers out of 600 starters. The challenging course pushed athletes to their limits, with impressive performances across all categories. Women’s winner Lucy Gossage set a new women’s course record surpassing the 16.49.57 set by Bethan Male in 2022.
Mark Darbyshire’s impressive win was also a course a record time of 13.42.54, previously held by Mark Perkins and set in 14.03.54 in 2014 and which adds to the SDW50 mile title he won in April this year. Mark can truly be called King of the South Downs.
Overall Top Three Women (Wave 1):

1. Lucy Gossage (FV40) finished in 16:30:35.
2. Julia Davis (FOpen), representing Newquay Road Runners, finished in 16:43:08.
3. Nicole Frisby (FOpen), representing Springfield Striders, finished in 16:58:45.

Overall Top Three Men (Wave 1):

1. Mark Darbyshire (MV40), representing Centurion, finished in 13:42:54.
2. Hugh Tibbs (MOpen) finished in 14:13:02.
3. Morgan Glazier (MOpen) finished in 14:41:41.

Category Winners:

• Female Open (FOpen): Julia Davis (Newquay Road Runners) – 16:43:08
• Female Veteran 40 (FV40): Lucy Gossage – 16:30:35
• Female Veteran 50 (FV50): Vanessa Dolling (Boxted Runners) – 21:14:21
• Male Open (MOpen): Hugh Tibbs – 14:13:02
• Male Veteran 40 (MV40): Mark Darbyshire (Centurion) – 13:42:54
• Male Veteran 50 (MV50): Benjamin Atkins – 16:09:34
• Male Veteran 60 (MV60): Rob Colliver – 25:08:37
• Male Veteran 70 (MV70): Kenneth Fancett (Beckenham Running Club) – 26:39:26

The South Downs Way 100 continues to uphold its reputation as a challenging and rewarding event, embodying the distinct character of British ultrarunning events.

Links:
Live tracking: SDW100-2025
Race website: South Downs Way 100
Facebook: Centurionrunning

See also
South Downs Way 100 Mile Race 2018