North Downs Way 100 2025 Race Report

We were back on the North Downs Way this past weekend for the fifteenth edition of what was our first ever event back in August 2011. Over the years the course has changed very slightly only once, when we relocated our finish from the village of Wye, to the fantastic Julie Rose Stadium in Ashford - which subsequently became the venue for one of the early Track 100s where the world 100 mile record was set by Aleksandr Sorokin. 

A field of 208 joined us in Farnham early Saturday morning, an almost identical field size to 2024. Conditions were excellent. Clear skies and a full moon offered up a wonderful night. With a cooling following wind all the way. However August is always hot and humid in the afternoons even when it's dry and such was the case this time. That afternoon exposure laid those who went harder than optimal - low, whilst others chose to bide their time and made hay when the sun stopped shining!

The stand out performance of the weekend and one of the best we've ever seen, came from Alice Robinson. If one were to write a masterclass in strategy, pacing and execution, this was it. Alice came into the race as past SDW100 champion but without a 100 mile finish within the last couple of years. She entered relatively late on and it wasn't clear if she was in the shape to go for the win in a strong womens field, let alone the long standing 18:34 course record of our Centurion Ultra Team runner Debbie Martin-Consani, set all the way back in 2016. Up against Alice were previous Centurion 100 mile race winners, 50 mile champions and a host of other podium and top five finishers at races across the UK and further afield. 

It was an international runner who led the way early on. Emma Grey who resides over in Australia now, went off like a rocket and held a phenomenal pace and led well past half way. To put it in perspective, she was through 38 miles (Caterham check point) in 5:39, a long way ahead of Laura Nevill in second and 40 minutes ahead of Alice Robinson who was in third at that stage. Emma then made Knockholt Pound at half way (essentially the same 50 miles as the NDW50 course) in 7:54 - a time good enough to win the womens NDW50 in 2024. 

Alice passed Laura in the new Titsey Brewery check point at Mile 44 to move into second. Before gradually reeling Laura in over the next 50 miles. She edged closer as the two remained well under Debbie's course record splits through Detling at mile 82 and then Lenham at mile 90, before Alice eventually made the pass just after that point. By this stage the ghost course record icon was catching up to them fast, but Alice showed sheer class in her execution of the final, flatter, easier running by putting down a 1:53 half marathon to finish and storming home in 18:13. A new course record by 21 minutes.

Alice Robinson

Emma ran brilliantly over the final miles too, finishing second in 18:34. Laura Nevill held on to third place in 20:15 - also a superb outing.

Second place - Emma Grey 

Laura Nevill

The mens race took on a very different shape. Ryan Whelan was back in the field, having won the previous two editions of this race. Could be do something we hadn't ever seen before and win one of our events for three years on the bounce? The lead pack went off hard, way under Mark Darbshire's course record pace all the way down through the top five and beyond. Alistair Courtney led through much of the first half pulling away with just Ryan seemingly able to stay within touching distance and with Josh Woods and Craig Taylor in a second group behind. As the group neared half way, Ryan forged past into the lead and as we've seen from him before, he never looked back from that point, gradually building more and more of a margin over the competition behind. He didn't quite have as smooth a race as his best last year, he felt the early pace had taken its toll a little bit and he dropped some time later on, but only against his own splits. 16:25 was good for the threepeat. 

Ryan Whelan 

Pete Thomason ran a smashing race and came past everyone else to finish second in 17:01, a bit of a breakthrough performance from him. Third place was hotly contested and went right to the line between Alistair and Josh. Josh took third in 17:38 at the finish, five minutes ahead of Alistair.

Pete Thomason

In the Womens Age Categories, first FV40 was Emma Grey also second overall. First FV50 was Laura McGill in 24:37. First FV60 was Petra Bijsterveld who came home in 28:44 - a new age category record by 13 minutes and only our third ever FV60 finisher in 15 editions of the event.

Petra Bijsterveld - First FV60

In the Mens Age Categories, the first MV40 award went to Matt Gallagher in 18:05. First MV50 to Peter Windross in 21:20. First MV60 to Pierre Yves-Descombes in 21:31, which took 26 minutes off of the previous age group record held by Ken Fancett (Ken holds the next 7 fastest ever MV60 times on this course). Neither of the two Vet 70 Mens runners made it this time but a special mention and get well soon to the evergreen, 79 years young John Fanshawe, who fell long before he decided to call it a day at the half way mark in a comfortable 13:24, as it turns out he has broken his hand in that fall. No doubt in 2026, John will become our first ever MV80 finisher, of any event.

John Fanshawe

A 67% finish rate makes it one of the highest ever for this race. It was a wonderful weekend for stop three of our 100 mile season. One to follow the Autumn 100 in mid October has some stellar names looking to take on the fastest trail 100 course in the land and should make for quite a spectacle.

Until then, a huge thanks as always to our wonderful team of volunteers, the staff and all of the support for making this event possible.