From a 50K Ultra with 1,349m elevation gain to a 6K Sprint with 151m of climbing, all levels of trail running talent and experience were catered for at the Maverick X Series East Sussex hosted by Maverick Race on Saturday 26 July 2025.

The Race HQ was the University of Sussex in Stanmer Park in Brighton and there were five distances to select from at this fully sold-out event in the stunning South Downs National Park – England's newest national landscape.

The three longest races feature the tough climb to Ditchling Beacon, the third-highest point on the South Downs National Park at 248 metres above sea level, with superb views towards London in the north and the Sussex coast in the south.

The photo above shows the line-up for the start of the Middle Route (21K, +461m) with 318 finishers in 3:21:42.  Mark Duffett (1:22:07) and Leah Kenny (1:35:51) took the top two places.

Stepping up to the Long Route (42K, +1070m) were 68 runners who all finished in 6:53:04. Leading the way at the marathon distance were Harvey Waller (3:23:00) and W50 master Icair Loza (4:01:21).

The Ultra Route added 8K and another 280 metres uphill, with Sam Macaulay (3:37:37) and Becca Salmon (4:47:37) heading 116 finishers in 8:12:12 – a full day's work in the sunshine.

The Short Route (14K, +342m) is a popular choice for first-timers and less experienced trail runners. Michael Azar (57:08) and Emily Vaz (1:08:59) sped to victory ahead of a field of 185 finishers in 3:02:15.

Finally, the Sprint Route (6K, +151m) saw 92 finishers in 2:02:44 and wins for junior female Zara Milton (25:40) and Adam Frame (25:52).

For details of all Maverick Events, visit the website here.

Full results are at the runABC South race listing here.

Photos courtesy of Maverick Race Gallery