The sixteenth edition of our longest standing event, began with 245 starters heading out into ideal conditions. The mild start, however, would quickly turn into a hot afternoon that would eventually take its toll on many of the runners and of course then, the finish rate. A long drought here in the UK has had the one added benefit of making the trails excellent for running, with the usual August nettles and brambles well back and leaving things clear for a fast day, for those that had patience and took care of cooling and fueling. Ice at all of the first 8 check points meant a chance to take the edge off. Overnight of course, things went back to amazing running before the final warriors battling the cut off had to face the heat all over again on Sunday morning late!
In the womens race, it was Thames Path 100 podium finisher from this past May - Zoe Smith, who led proceedings right from the gun. She had already gapped the competition by almost 11 minutes coming into the 15 mile check point at Newlands Corner. Behind her, last years Autumn 100 champion Sophie Seward and Jana De Waal almost together. in fact the top six at CP2 were the same six runners we had included on the pre-race preview.
Spoiler alert that by the end of the race, the gap between first and second was almost idential to that at CP2...
Sophie Seward
Jana De Waal
Zoe forged ahead and in a display of class and then incredible grit, led from wite to wire. Her first 100 mile race had been at the Thames Path 100 back in May and she had finished second in 18 hours flat. The gap she built early she simply held, never more than 25 minutes ahead of second place who for the entire second half was South African Jana De Waal, she only began to leak time in the very final stages and it looked for a few moments like we might have one of the closest finishes ever. But Zoe held on and crossed the line for her first Centurion win in 20:51:40, just 13 minutes ahead of Jana. Third place went to a hard charging Flic Archer, running the Grand Slam this year and pacing this one brilliantly, she came past 2025 Autumn 100 champion Sophie Seward at the 91 mile mark to come home in 21:45.
2026 NDW100 Champion Zoe Smith
The mens race was seemingly thrown right up in the air within the first hour as pre-race favourite and Grand Slam 50 record holder Alistair Courtney took a fall and became the first drop of the day. To his immense credit he joined the volunteer teams over the next three check points instead before heading to the finish. That is what the community is all about!
James Bennett led proceedings early, as is his usual style before he fades back, Marco Orsini Jones, Harry Pickering and John Storrow in hot pursuit. But the carnage was all yet to come as none of those in the initial group ended up even on the podium. It was Harry who caught up to James first, the Winter Downs 100 winner from 2025, familiar with the early section of this course from the end of that very successful prior outing. He held a lead through half way at Knockholt Pound and ran well through the third quarter of the race, but passing through Ranscombe Farm Reserve at mile 70, he began to falter and was passed by Kane Porter who had seemingly paced himself brilliantly. Kane ran in front from there, only increasing his leading margin as second place runner - 2026 Thames Path 100 Champion Matt Gallagher - was finally forced to call it quits after a heavy fall earlier in the day gradually took its toll. Kane crossed the line for the win in 17:55:30.
2026 Mens Champion - Kane Porter
Second place went to a superbly paced race from MV50 Andrew Churchill. A previous podium finisher with us at Winter Downs 200, Andrew just took his time and made his way through the field all day to land on the podium in a time of 18:28. Third place went to Macauley Jordan in 18:39, he being one of the few who looked relatively fresh all day.
In the age categories, awards went to the following:
First FV40 to the race winner Zoe Smith. First FV50 to Sacha Grinter in 26:51. Unfortunately our three battling FV60 runners all dropped. Maja Batheja, Petra Bijsterveld and Darla Crispinwe are sure will all be back again.
In the mens, first MV40 went to Craig Taylor in 20:05. An amazing performance from Andrew Churchill who took first MV50, way ahead of all the V40 runners and finishing second overall in 18:28. First MV60 went to Stephen Scobie in 27:17. And first MV70 to Iain Walker - the last person over the line under the cut off in 29:54:56 and a Grand Slammer to boot, keeping his whole year alive.
You can find the latest Grand Slam table with standings after three of four events, here. These runners have truly earned it!
136 runners crossed the line, every single one of them earned their buckle and more this weekend. 43 of them came home inside 24 hours for the 100 mile - One Day buckle, one of the rarer awards we give out!
A huge huge thanks to the 100+ volunteers who made this one possible and went above and beyond time and again to keep runners cool and safe in the warmer temperatures.
