The SDW50km is a 50km non-stop foot race through the South Downs National Park. The South Downs boast stunning rolling hills, ancient forts, picturesque villages and expansive views across Southern England. This is the inaugural event.
The course travels along the chalk ridgeway, starting just outside of Winchester, the capital city of Saxon England, in the incredible natural amphitheatre of Matterley Bowl. The course sits entirely within the South Downs National Park with the majority on the South Downs Way National Trail - until the finish in the Event Field at Queen Elizabeth Country Park at the foot of the screaming fast descent off of Butser Hill. The South Downs tower over Southern England affording runners awe inspiring views north across the Weald and south across the coast and the Channel. Runners will be fully supported by four well stocked aid stations, full medical support and a fully marked course. 9 hour cut off. Race held under full UK Athletics Permit granted through the TRA (Permit Number Pending).
Photos
Vital Stats
Distance
31mi
50KMs
Elevation
4000ft
1200m
Cut-off
9hours
Entry Fee
£75
Date
14 Jun 2025 10:00
Course Marked
YES
Medical Support
YES
No. of Starters
300
Avg Temp.
15C
59F
Avg Rainfall.
52mm
2inches
Avg Humidity
90%
# of Aid Stations
4
Location
EU / UK / ENGLAND / SOUTH-EAST
Terrain
80% TRAIL, 20% ROAD
General Info
Entries
Entries for 2025 open at 1000 on Saturday 10th August 2024 and are available on a first come first served basis. There is no waiting list for this event.
Entry fee is £75. There are no additional booking fees.
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 SDW100 2024 event.
Finish Line Hot Food and 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 heart of the Chiltern countryside. 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 note that this does not include the first 6.5 miles around Matterley Estate as this is 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. Aid stations will carry as a minimum: Water, Coke, Tailwind, Gu Gels, chocolate, sweets, sandwiches, nuts, lots of fruit, wraps and other sweet and savoury snacks. 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.
