The 2026 South Downs Way 50km is upon us and we are delighted to welcome another incredible bunch of people to the race. As part of the World Trail Majors Series - with the 50km here acting as the Short Distance event, the inaugural year in 2025 got us off to an incredible start and we are hoping for more of the same here in year two.
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. This post focuses on the Elite Mens field for the SDW50km. The full entrants list can be found here.
Stay tuned to our instagram channel, the homepage of the website and the podcast for more content pre, during and post race.
The 50km attracts a raft of runners from the trail and mountain scene, but with no qualification standards/ open to all, a great number of faster road runners too.
Antonio Martinez - Asics (ITRA Rank: 916): Click here to listen to a pre-race interview with Antonio. Hailing from Spain, the Asics athlete was crowned SkyRunning World Champion in 2023. Alongside three podium finishes at OCC and a win at Lavaredo 50km in recent years - he has already won the TransGranCanaria Marathon in 2026, part of our World Trail Majors Short Series.
Antonio Martinez - Photo c/o The Adventure Bakery
Fran Anguita - Kailas Fuga (ITRA Rank: 903): Winner of last months Transvulcania Marathon. Second at TransGranCanaria Marathon this year to open his World Trail Majors account, behind only Antonio above. Fourth at Penyagolosa 60km between those two results. The Spanish athlete off to an incredible start to the year.
Ricardo Borgialli (ITRA Rank: 869): Third at Puglia by UTMB Marathon in 2025. In mid-May he won the Grappa Trail Marathon in Italy. Ran a brilliant 2:21 Marathon in Valencia in December. 66 minute PB for the half.
Peter Le Grice (ITRA Rank: 785): A superb run here last year to finish second only to Robbie Simpson in 3:23. Pete is by trade a road runner with an incredible pedigree. Winner of the 2019 Brighton Marathon, his PB over the distance is 2:14 set at Malaga in 2024. He also ran 30:05 for fifth at the London Vitality 10,000 that year. Other PBs include 64 minutes for the half, and 29:32 for 10km.
Peter Le Grice
Thomas Almond (ITRA Rank: NA): Second at the British 100km Championships in March in a time of 6:32. Ran a 2:24 marathon in Valencia in December. One of the super fast road runners stepping onto the trails here.
In the Hunt For Top Ten:
Tomohiro Machida (Prolific Japanese athlete with multiple wins on home soil)
Paul Navesey (2014 SDW50 Champion. Previous British 100km Champion. 2:17 Marathon PB)
Stuart Haw - Kailas-Fuga (UTMB Kackar 50K 13th; Half Marathon 69:20; 5k 14:46 all in the last 9 months)
William Bielby - PF&H (New Zealand International at World Champs in 2025)
Marcus Etheridge (2:26 marathon at Valencia)
James Local (2:29 London Marathon)
Tom Tweddell (2:28 Manchester Marathon)
Alex Hammond (9th Arc 50 2026)
Jake Bowles (2nd North Downs Ridge 50km 2026)
