The 35th Altra Brighton Half Marathon, organised by E3 Sports Events, will take place on Sunday 2 March 2025. The Sussex Beacon, a Brighton based charity providing specialist support and care for people living with HIV, is the main beneficiary of the event. The event is the single biggest annual fundraiser for the charity, raising over £1 million for several charities across Sussex and the UK every year. Other charity partners include Macmillan Cancer Support, Alzheimer’s Society, Taylor-Made Dreams, Grassroots Suicide Prevention, Say Aphasia, Venkat Memorial Trust, Alcohol Change UK, WWF UK and local charity Rockinghorse.
Altra is the new headline sponsor signing a three-year deal to support the race. During race weekend Altra will have several activations planned and will also have a retail space in the race village alongside Brighton’s The Jog Shop.
The race starts for runners at 9.30am at new location, Hove Lawns on Kingsway before winding its way around some of Brighton’s most iconic sites including the Brighton Palace Pier, DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole, the Royal Pavilion, the West Pier, i360, Brighton Marina and the colourful Hove Beach Huts.
10,000 runners, both beginners to the distance and seasoned half marathoners, will be taking to the streets of Brighton and Hove and absorbing the unique atmosphere of the race.
This year the Youth Races will take place the day before the main race on Saturday with hundreds of junior runners aged 7 – 17 expected to take on the mile challenge on Hove Lawns. The chip-timed race is open to all abilities and all participants will receive a technical t-shirts and medal, plus prizes for the first three runners in each age category. Registration closes on Friday, 21 February – enter here
The Altra Brighton Half Marathon is supported by a range of high-profile sponsors and partners including Altra, Lancing College, Lancing Prep, BBC Radio Sussex, Runna, Yeomans Toyota, Brighton Girls School, Bagelman, DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole, JustGiving, HIGH5, RunBrighton, Frosts Brighton, Beryl Bikes, Southern Water, Donatello, Brighton Beach Bikes, Sea Lanes, Shoreham Port and Brighton & Hove City Council.
Youth Race Timings – Saturday, 1 March 2025
11:00 – Youth Race Helpdesk opens for race pack collections
12:00 – Youth Race Marquee opens on Hove Lawns
13:00 – Youth Races start
16:30 – Race Village closes
Brighton Half Marathon Timings – Sunday, 2 March 2025
07:00 – Park & Ride sites opens / Road closures start
07:30 – Race site and help desk open / Baggage facility opens for runners
09:27 – Yeomans Toyota Wheelchair Race starts on Kingsway
09:30 – Altra Brighton Half Marathon starts on Kingsway
Race starter: comedian and actor Joe Wilkinson
11:15 – Wheelchair and Elite winners’ presentations on Hove Lawns
14:30 – Race site closes
The elite field
A new winner is guaranteed in the women’s race this year with Cassie Thorpe currently injured.
The women’s race is once again likely to be close and very hard to call with one or two competitors coming back to the half marathon distance after long layoffs. Christa Cain (Best Athletics), Henny Tarasewicz (Bodyworks Sussex) and Rachel Hillman (Lewes AC) are probably the ones to watch.
In the men’s race Marshall Smith our winner from last year is set to return and with Seyfu Jamaal making his Brighton bow – we are looking forward to a very competitive race!
In the Wheelchair Race last year’s winner Illias Zghoundi (Weir Archer Academy) is joined by previous winners Rob Smith and Gary Cooper from Coventry Godiva Harriers in the men’s race. Last year’s winner Claudia Burrough is still recovering from injury and will make a late decision on her entry.
Race starters and interesting runners
The main race will be started by comedian and actor Joe Wilkinson. Joe Wilkinson said: “I’m really looking forward to starting this year’s Brighton Half Marathon and then being beaten by about 99% of those runners. The Sussex Beacon is a wonderful charity and it’s an honour to support them in any way I can.”
Well-known faces also supporting the Brighton Half Marathon include DS Chris Oliver from Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Wins; actor Craig Parkinson; broadcaster and presenter Bobby Seagull who are all running for The Sussex Beacon in support of their Formula Milk Programme, plus content creator and Love Island star Zachariah Noble.
