Winter Downs 100 2025 Race Report

The second edition of our Winter Downs 100 kicked off on Friday 12th December 2025. With a 1400 start this race goes into almost a full 16 hours of darkness from the off, making it a true winter test. This event has become an incredible season finale, with the 200 miler kicking off two days prior, runner interactions out on course between the two races adding an extra layer of camaraderie this time out.

Conditions were excellent. This was the driest and least muddy the course has been yet. After some light rain just prior to the start, things cleared up and bright skies even welcomed runners into the second half of the race. 

You can catch up with the video highlights of the race on YouTube and our Daily Podcast Episodes too which give more colour to the race. But read on for the tales from the trail. 

Race winner Harry Pickering crests Box Hill at dawn with just over a mile to go

Womens Race

The womens race was on paper, the most competitive of the four different races happening during the week. It did not disappoint. A newer face to Centurion events, Natalie Utting took the race by the scruff of the neck and went out extremely hard. It seemed a bold strategy from the past top five Autumn 100 finisher, with the calibre of those chasing behind, but wow did it really pay off.

She not only forged a gap over the other leading ladies, but the rest of the field too, running in second and third overall for stretches during the middle of the night. 

Whilst some waited for the wheels to come off, Natalie suprised even herself and blitzed home in a new course record of 18:09. That time would have been good enough to win the majority of our historic 100s, let alone a winter event with only three check points and with 16 hours of it in the dark. At the finish she mentioned she had been planning for 22 hours. She certainly bettered that! One of the stand out performances of the year for sure.

Natalie Utting

Second place went to Team GB 24hr runner and She Races Founder, Sophie Power. Sophie wrapped up a memorable 2025 with a well paced, well managed 19:38 and had clearly enjoyed the experience. It's a lot easier coming back to trail 100s after road 24s!!

Sophie Power

Third place went to 2023 Winter Downs 200 champion Laura Swanton-Rouvelin. Laura hadn't enjoyed her best day, feeling flat from very early but in true Laura fashion, simply grit her teeth and eeked out everything she could. She can be very proud of yet another podium finish with us in 20:30.

Laura Swanton-Rouvelin

Mens Race

The mens race featured our course record holder from the inaugural edition in 2024 - Geoff Cheshire - who in clocking 15:44 had set a very high bar. Geoff ran out front early with Nathan Hutton but eventually dropped at the half way mark with a couple of issues. We look forward to seeing him bounce back in 2026.

That left Nathan to forge on ahead, with quite a substantial gap at the half way stage, of 29 minutes over Harry Pickering in second. It seemed likely that a slow down was inevitable as the pace had been so hot out of the gate and as the night drew on, that proved to be the case. Nathan dropped time steadily to Harry who caught and passed him around Newlands Corner, the second to last crew point and entering the final 15 miles. Harry in his own words 'really suffered' as he dug as deep as he could to bring home his first major race win in a time of 17:19.

Harry Pickering

Nathan held on for a valiant second in 17:39. With Andrew Harrower taking third a fair way back in 19 hours flat.

Nathan Hutton, early in the race

The Age Categories were full at this one with runners competing up to FV60 in the womens and MV70 in the mens. Two legends of the sport unfortunately both stopped with similar back/ core issues late in the race - we hope to see both John Fanshawe who turns 80 in six weeks time and Ken Fancett - back in 2026.

First FV40 was Sophie Power also second overall. First FV50 went to Louise Langmead in 23:12. And in one of the highlight performances of the day, FV60 Petra Bjisterveld crossed the line in 28:56.

First MV40 went to Nathan Hutton, also second overall. First MV50 was Mark Kennedy in 22:42 and first MV60 to Andy Hales in 25:17.

A phenomenal 73 athletes out of a starting field of  88 crossed the finish line under the 35 hour cut off. An 83% finish rate which is almost unheard of in 100 mile racing.

A huge thanks of course, to our volunteer, safety and staff teams for bringing a second successful edition of this season finale to life.