South Downs Way 50km

The South Downs Way 50km runs the chalk ridgeway east from the Matterley Bowl, the natural amphitheatre outside Winchester, to the Event Field at Queen Elizabeth Country Park. It sits entirely inside the South Downs National Park and spends most of its length on the South Downs Way National Trail, over Holden Farm, Beacon Hill Beeches and the Sustainability Centre above Droxford, before the fast descent off Butser Hill into the finish.

It covers 50 km with 3,800 feet of climb against a 9-hour cutoff, on a marked course with four aid stations, and starts at 10:00 a.m. for a field of 400. 2027 is the third running. The race is part of the World Trail Majors short series, and the organiser takes elite entries by application, using an ITRA index of 750 for men and 600 for women as its guide.

A point-to-point from the Matterley Bowl on the Matterley Estate outside Winchester to the Event Field at Queen Elizabeth Country Park, almost all of it on the South Downs Way National Trail inside the South Downs National Park. Aid comes at Matterley, Holden Farm, Beacon Hill Beeches and the Sustainability Centre, and the course finishes on the descent off Butser Hill. 50 km with 3,800 feet of climb, four aid stations, 80 percent trail and 20 percent road, a 10:00 a.m. start and a 9-hour cutoff. The course is marked.

Entry is first come, first served through Centurion Running for a field of 400, and the register page says a waiting list operates once the initial places are sold. Entries for 2027 opened at 19:00 on 19 July 2026 and close on 30 May 2027. There is no qualifying standard: the race is open to all, with a minimum age of 20. The fee is 85 pounds for UK Athletics members and 87 for unattached runners. Elite athletes can apply directly to the organiser, which gives an ITRA index of 750 or above for men and 600 or above for women as its guide and will consider runners who are not on ITRA case by case. The weekend also holds a one-mile children's race and a 5 km for under-18s on the Friday evening, both entered on the day.