Centurion South Downs Way 50km®
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. The race is part of the World Trail Majors - Short Series. 2nd Annual.
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 8433).
Vital Stats
- Distance: 31mi / 50KMs
- Elevation: 4000ft / 1200m
- Cut-off: 9 hours
- Date: 13 Jun 2026 10:00
- Course Marked: YES
- Medical Support: YES
- No. of Starters: 400
- Avg Temp: 15C / 59F
- Avg Rainfall: .52mm / 2inches
- Avg Humidity: 90%
- No. of Aid Stations: 4
Location
EU / UK / ENGLAND / SOUTH-EAST
Terrain
80% TRAIL, 20% ROAD
General Info
Entries
Entries for 2026 open at 1000 on Saturday 12th July 2025. Entry fee is £80 (£82 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 are available here and 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 202