South Downs Way 100 2025 Mens Preview

The 2025 South Downs Way 100 is upon us and we are delighted to welcome what is one of if not the largest 100 mile field in a UK event together with the deepest competition. As part of the World Trail Majors Series, the event has attracted some of the best in domestic as well as international competition and will make for some great spectating for all. 

In the build up to South Downs Way 100 & 50km Race Weekend we will be previewing the leading contenders for the top spots in four separate posts. Our second post here focuses on the Elite Mens field for the SDW100. The full entrants list can be found here. 

You can see full details of the Elite Womens Field here. 

Stay tuned to the website and our YouTube channel in the lead up for race day for links to the live broadcast, tracking and results:

Mark Darbyshire (ITRA Rank: 875): Centurion Ultra Team runner. After a rough first half of TransGranCanaria (part of our World Trail Majors Series) in February, Mark then turned on the jets to pass over 50 runners and finish in 12th. He then ran home for a strong win at the South Downs Way 50 in April, over the second half of this SDW100 course. Mark is the course record holder at too many races to list, including but not limited to: NDW100, Lakeland 100, Arc of Attrition, UTS 100 mile, 13Valleys, Lakes Traverse etc. He is simply the best in the business here in the UK when it comes to the 100 mile distance.

Mark Darbyshire

Geoff Cheshire (ITRA Rank: 789): Geoff's back catalogue at Centurion events is really impressive, albeit at this race he has come up short a few times now. His best here is 7th in 2021 in 17:46 and he has dropped here twice including after leading last year. However his 100 mile credentials are otherwise exemplary and it is surely time he got this one right too. Last year he won the inaugural Winter Downs 100 which shares much of this course (in reverse). He has won the Thames Path 100, Autumn 100 (13:58 course record) - both in 2023 - and the Chiltern Wonderland 50. Finished on the podium in addition at the NDW100 twice. Top ten at Lakeland in 2023, he has won lots of other shorter but competitive ultras too including Race to the stones. 

Geoff Cheshire

Adrien Combe (ITRA Rank: 770): French athlete with an incredible pedigree, mostly in French races, winning many by big margins over big fields. Towards the end of 2024 he won the Grands Trails d'Auvergne - X Ultra-Trail. He raced six times last year and placed a worst of sixth in any of those. Other wins in his recent past include Impérial Trail Fontainebleau and Trails du Tour du Canton 75 km. In his only previous 100 miler, he also placed sixth at Grand Raid Des Cathares.

Hugh Tibbs (ITRA Rank: 763): Comes in with fine form having won the North Downs Way 50 just two weeks ago in a new course record - in what was the fourteenth edition of our spring classic. Ran a superb SDW100 last summer in the deepest field we've ever had at that event, coming home second in 14:46. He opened up 2025 with a third place at the Arc of Attrition in January.

Hugh Tibbs

Jonathan Young (ITRA Rank: 762): Winner of several North Yorkshire ultras in recent years, most recently two in 2024 including the. Nidderdale Ultra which is 111 miles with over 14,500ft of elevation.

Peter Windross (ITRA Rank: 761): Champion here in 2021, he was third in 2024 in 14:48. Peter has also won the Autumn 100 (sub 14 hours) and the Thames Path 100. Four time Grand Slam finisher, he is one of our most decorated runners both in terms of finishes but more so top tens, podiums and wins.

Gavin Byrne (ITRA Rank: 760): Irish international trail and mountain runner, Gavin is the Wicklow Round record holder but has had some fine results in races too. Notable performances include third at UTS100km in 2022. Finished in the top 50 at UTMB in 2023 in 26:08. Winner and podium finisher at dozens of Irish ultra and mountain races.

Joseph Turner (ITRA Rank: 755): Joe won at the Hundred Hills 50km back in March over a solid field and has since gone on to pick up a few further wins over that distance in what looks to have been an excellent training block. He is a Team GB 100km runner with a PB of 6:35 over the distance, he represtented Team GB in India in December. He has a 12:52 100 mile best from Barcelona 24hr (split) in 2023. But he's handy on the trail too with wins in the past at Wendover Woods Night 50km, Maverick's Jurassic Ultra 50km and Ultra X's summer trail series 50km scattered in amongst some international level road and track running.

Joseph Turner

Alistair Courtney (ITRA Rank: 747): In 2024 Alistair came out of nowhere to finish third at the Hundred Hills 50km against a classy field, before completely dominating the 50 mile Grand Slam. He won three of the four events last year, losing out only at the NDW50 to a course record from Patrick Wightman. He capped the year off with the Wendover Woods 50 in a time which not only won him the race but saw him take the seemingly untouchable Grand Slam record of our very own Jon Ellis by 11 minutes. He is recently off the back of a painful DNF late into the Thames Path 100 which will no doubt make him hungrier than ever.

Alistair Courtney

Henrik Westerlin (ITRA Rank: 740): Danish International who has represented his country over 24 hours, 100km and on the trails. The Swiss resident won the Autumn 100 back in 2019 in a then course record time of 14:02. Won the Lake Zuri 100km in 2023. Finished 21st at Western States in 2024 in 18:37.

Jez Bragg (ITRA Rank: 723): Fifth here last year in 15:35. A past winner of UTMB and a best of third at Western States, Jez was at the pinnacle of the sport globally for many years and has one of the deepest running CV's today. He raced for GB on both the road and the trails and really excelled across a variety of distances and terrain types. In the last few years work and family have taken priority but it truly is an honour to have him back again here.

Jez Bragg

Simon Withers (ITRA Rank: 717): Fourteenth here in 2024 in 17:18 but will be looking for better this time. Finished joint third at this years Arc of Attrition alongside Hugh Tibbs - featured above. Previous winner of the North Coast 110 mile. Also won the 2025 North Downs Ridge 50km in February.

Rob Payne (ITRA Rank: 716): Rob Payne has represented both Great Britain and England over ultra-distance, with the most recent appearance being as part of medal winning England team at the Anglo-Celtic Plate 100k at the start of May. Also of note are his improvements over shorter distances in the last 12 months, with a 2:23 at Chester Marathon, 67:42 at Brass Monkey Half Marathon and 30:32 at the North Lincolnshire 10K.With a range of experience on road and trail, including an eighth position at the 2024 SDW100 that included some time off the front of the race before a tough finish, Payne will be one to watch in the first 50 miles and, hopefully, the second 50 as well.

Rob Payne

David Green (ITRA Rank: 708): Fifth place at the Arc 50 in January. Winner of the 2021 SVP100km and 11th at Trail d'Alsace Grand Est by UTMB over the 115km distance last year.

In the Hunt for Top Ten: Iain Ward (ITRA Rank: 697), Chris Kelly (ITRA Rank: 675), James Fulcher (ITRA Rank: 612).