The 2026 South Downs Way 100 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 and this year acting as the British Trail Running Championships - Ultra Distance, the event has attracted some of the best in domestic as well as international competition and will make for some great spectating for all.
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 Womens field for the SDW100. 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.
Last year, Lucy Gossage and Julia Davis both went under the course record, with Lucy winning out in an incredible race in 16:30. Will we see that bar raised again?
Maryline Nakache - CimAlp (ITRA Rank: 730): Hailing from France, Maryline was the 2026 Marathon Des Sables champion, a race she won for the third time. In 2025, she was fourth in the overall World Trail Majors rankings after winning Quebec Mega Trail 135km and finishing fourth at TransGranCanaria. In 2023 she won TDS, previously second at Lavaredo and French National Trail Running Champion - her list of other accolades are almost too long to mention.
Maryline Nakache - Photo c/o Ian Corless Photography
Sarah Webster - Precision Fuel and Hydration/ Curranz (ITRA Rank: 634): Listen to a pre-race interview with Sarah on our podcast here. Sarah is the current 24hr World Record Holder and 100km European Record Holder. Her win at the 2025 World 24hr champs cemented her as the new record holder as she covered over 278km during the race, with a 100 mile split well under 14 hours. She equalled her own European 100km record to the second earlier this year posting a 7:03:48 in Italy in February.
Sarah Webster - Photo c/o Geoff Lowe
Robyn Cassidy - Montane (ITRA Rank: 683): Fourth at TransGranCanaria in March, this is the second stop on the World Trail Majors circuit for Robyn. She was the 2024 Lakeland 100 Champion, following on from a landmark win at the 2023 Dragons Back Race. The Montane athlete has also secured second at other prestigious events like Arc of Attrition, Winter Spine Race (Full) and UTS100km - all in the last 3 years.
Robyn Cassiday - Photo c/o @ultra.im.possible
Nicole Bitter - Altra (ITRA Rank: 563): Running for Altra, the US athlete has been one of the best to ever do it on US trails. Javelina Jundred Champion in 15:17, Top Ten at Western States 3 times and a 100 mile trail PB of 14:22 at Rocky Raccoon 100, a race she also won three times. In 2026 so far she has run three 50km events and won them all.
Nicole Bitter - Photo c/o Derrick Lytle
Imo Boddy - Salomon (ITRA Rank: 588): Imo is fresh off of the back of a win and new course record at the LA to Las Vegas Speed Project. Last year she finished fourth at the 50km here and that followed on from an incredible new Record over the British Three Peaks. She recently joined our Centurion Coaching team.
Imo Boddy
Laura Nevill (ITRA Rank: 591): Third at the 2025 North Downs Way 100. Laura is a past champion of the Serpent Trail 100km and the Triple Trail 100km - both run in the North/ South Downs area.
Laura Nevill
Michelle White (ITRA Rank: 506): Michelle is in fine form and probably has the fastest 100 mile PB of any woman in the field with the exception of Sarah Webster. A specialist of track and road ultras, she has done well at numerous long trail races too. Earlier this year she ran through 100 miles in 14:53 as part of a 48 hour race in Spain. Last year she was 11th at Spartathlon and won the Grand Union Canal Race. Prior to that she won Leeds to Liverpool Canal Race, South Wales 200 and Kennett and Avon Canal Race amongst many others.
Sophie Clarke (ITRA Rank: 585 ): Hailing from Lancashire, Sophie was third at the Pennine Barrier 50 last month. In 2023 she finished third at the Beacons 100. In 2024 she won the Dales High Way 90 ultra and in 2025 finished fourth at the 215 mile Race Across Scotland.
Caroline Haig (ITRA Rank: 584): Third at Serpent Trail 100km in 2024, third at the South Downs Way 50 in 2025 and fourth this past April at the Brighton Trail Marathon.
Emily Harrison (ITRA Rank: 548): Emily was fourth at the Arc 50 in January. The Cornish athletes won the Roseland August Trail Black RAT 50km in 2025. And won the Classic Quarter as part of a mixed pairs course record that same year too. She is aiming for her first 100 mile finish here.
In the Hunt for Top Ten:
Vanessa Dolling (9th 2025 SDW100)
Catherine Hicks (4th 2025 Arc of Attrition)
Yanqing Liu (2nd 2024 Beacons 100 Mile)
Charley Connor (8th Lap Clockwise 2026)
Faye Morse (8th Autumn 100 2025)
Rike Jones (Numerous Top Ten finishes at Centurion Events incl. CW50 and WW50 in 2025)
Alex Coomber (6th at SDW50 in April)
April Kane (Led 50 miles of A100 in 2025 before a late DNF)
