Thousands of Ultra Challengers took on the spectacular South Coast Ultra Challenge last weekend, raising more than £600,000 for charities.
Walkers, joggers and runners descended on Sussex from across the country for the annual event, setting off from Bramley Camping Park near Eastbourne and taking on distances of 25km, 57km and the full 100km route through the South Downs National Park.
The 100km Challenge saw participants tackle the dramatic climb to Beachy Head, cross the famous Seven Sisters, pass through Brighton and Hove, and continue across the South Downs before finishing beneath Arundel Castle.
While many participants took part to test themselves physically, the event also brought together hundreds of people fundraising in memory of loved ones, supporting charities close to their hearts and raising awareness of important causes.
Among them were Brighton couple Matt and Nicki Spiers, who completed the 100km challenge in memory of their daughter, Issy, who died earlier this year aged 13 after living with a brain tumour for almost four years. Joined by their son Jamie and a large group of family and friends, the team walked every step to support The Brain Tumour Charity, raising tens of thousands of pounds in Issy’s memory.
Also among the 100km finishers was Toby Freeman, founder of The Robin Cancer Trust, who ran his first-ever 100km ultra challenge as the final chapter of his long-running Big Ballsy Challenge. Toby has spent years raising awareness of testicular cancer through a series of endurance events while dressed as a giant testicle, helping spark life-saving conversations around one of the most common cancers affecting young men. Listen to our podcast interview with Toby here.
Elsewhere, David Radcliffe completed the challenge in memory of his son George, who died in 2023 following a battle with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood cancer.
David took on the 100km route to raise funds for Just George, a campaign supporting childhood cancer research through CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association.
The event featured a 25km route along the Sussex coast, a 57km challenge finishing at Hove Park, and the flagship 100km distance which continued on to Arundel.
Ultra Challenge’s Nicola Smith said: “The South Coast Ultra Challenge continues to go from strength to strength and it’s fantastic to, yet again, see so many taking part this year.
“The combination of the South Downs, the Seven Sisters, Beachy Head and the Sussex coastline creates one of the most iconic and spectacular challenge routes anywhere in the UK, and that’s a huge part of why so many people return year after year.
“What makes the event truly special, however, is the incredible fundraising and personal stories behind every participant. To see more than £600,000 raised for around 150 charities is a remarkable achievement and demonstrates the extraordinary generosity, determination and community spirit of everyone who took part.
“Whether they completed 25km, 57km or the full 100km challenge, every participant should be incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved.”
From first-time challengers to experienced ultra-distance athletes, thousands celebrated personal achievements across the weekend, making the 2026 South Coast Ultra Challenge another memorable event for Sussex and for the many charities set to benefit from the funds raised.
Entries for the 2027 South Coast Ultra Challenge are available now at: www.ultrachallenge.com/south-coast-challenge/
