Where, when and how we compete
As a competitive club our goal is to help our athletes enjoy training and competing to the very best of their ability at the appropriate level, be it local or international, in track and field (both indoor and outdoor), road racing and cross country, as individuals and members of club teams.
The key competitions in which we compete are listed below, however once you are part of a training group your coach will give you more detailed information and guidance on which events to prioritise. For specific competition dates see the Fixtures page.
The Club covers the cost of entry to County, Regional and National Championships as part of the Membership package. Of course we understand that athletes sometimes have to withdraw from events due to injury or illness, but if neither of these reasons apply we ask that the Club is re-imbursed the entry fee.
Track and Field
On one level athletics is an individual sport, but for Club athletes it is also all about sprinters, distance runners, throwers and jumpers coming together to compete as a team in the four Leagues in which we take part.
The key to success in all the Leagues is covering as many events as possible on both track and field, since every point counts, which is why athletes are encouraged to have a go at a second event to add to their main discipline.
New Age Groups from 1 April
As most Club athletes are aware, from the next outdoor season onwards (i.e. beginning 1 April) England Athletics are introducing new age groups for competition for younger athletes. Categories will still be based on age at 31 August in the competition year, but the categories will now be U10, U12, U14, U16, U18 and U20 (as opposed to U11, U13, U15, U17 and U20).
If you wish to read more about the changes which are being implemented after extensive consultation with clubs, you can find more information here. To make things a little easier during the transition EA have also included an Age Group Calculator which shows both an athlete’s existing competition age and the new one, according to the time of the competition being entered. There is also a spreadsheet giving information for the technical events in terms of implements, hurdle heights etc.
Southern Athletics League
(Under 18, Seniors, Masters age 35+)
This is the principal league competition for our Senior Men and Women athletes (U18s can also compete) involving a full track and field programme. The League is divided into four divisions, and we are currently in Division Two South & Southwest. Clubs compete over four matches at venues across the Southern region. When these are outside London the club organises coach travel, which makes for great camaraderie and team-bonding!
More information on the League is at https://www.southernathletics.org.uk
Ebbisham (Boys) League
(Under 12-Under 18)
The Ebbisham League sees local clubs divided into two Divisions. In 2026 we will be in Division One. Clubs compete against each over four matches at different locations. There is a full track and field programme for U14s and U16s (who score points) and a selection of events for U12s and U18s.
Lily B (Girls) League
(Under 12-Under 18)
The Lily B League involves 12 local clubs competing over three matches at different locations, followed by a Final, in which the top teams compete for the League Trophy and those just below compete for the Plate. There is a full track and field programme for U14s, U16s and U18s (who score points) and a selection of events for U12s. For more details about the League go to https://www.lilybathleticsleague.co.uk
Southern Counties Vets League
(Masters age 35+)
Masters athletes (from age 35 and above) have the opportunity to compete in the South London Division of this League. There are four competitions involving local clubs, with the top ranked Men’s and Women’s teams qualifying for the Southern Counties Final at the end of the season. Our men’s and women’s teams qualified for the Final in both 2024 and 2025, with the Women’s team winning in 2024 (right).
Open Meetings and Championships
Athletes are spoilt for choice given the extensive calendar of Open indoor and outdoor meetings, including our own at Wimbledon Park (see the Open Events page) and those organised by the South London Athletics Network (SLAN) which consists of Hercules Wimbledon AC, Sutton & District AC, Herne Hill Harriers, Belgrave Harriers and South London Harriers. Events on offer vary from meeting to meeting.
In addition athletes compete at County, Regional and National level (provided they meet the entry standards for the latter).
Cross Country
The Club has a proud tradition of cross country racing. Although there are individual honours to be fought for, cross country is also big on team spirit, as our squads take on the challenges of different courses and conditions, and every person counts.
For the rest of the 2025/26 season current age groups (i.e. U11,U13,U15 and U17) still apply.
Surrey Cross Country League
(Under 13-Under 20/Seniors/Masters age 35+)
Our Senior Men, Senior Women and Juniors (U13, U15, U17 and U20) all compete in the Surrey Cross Country League.
Teams in each age group and gender compete over four matches at various venues. The first two are normally in October and November with the final two in January and February. Race distances are (approximately): U13: 3km; U15/U17: 4.5km; Senior Women (including U20s): 5km; and Senior Men (including U20s): 8K.
In the Junior races the first four score points, in the women’s races it is the first five, and for the men the first ten, but everyone plays a part, as the further up the order an athlete finishes, the less points are available for other teams!
Above: Our Senior Men’s teams have been crowned League Champions in five of the last seven seasons
Epsom Downs League
(Under 11-Under 20)
in addition, our junior members compete against other local clubs in the Epsom Downs League, again over four matches in the same location each time, beside the famous racecourse. There are races for age groups from U11 through to U20. Distance-wise, U11s race over 2.2km, and U13s upwards over 3.2km.
County, Regional and National Championships
Over and above League competition, the Club sends teams across all the age groups (U13+) to the Surrey County Cross Country Championships in January, followed by the Southern (SEAA) Cross Country Championships, normally towards the end of January, and the National Championships in February. At all of these events both individual and team medals are up for grabs. There are also Cross Country Relays at County, Regional and National level.
Right: The Club’s U15 Boys and Girls were among the gold medal-winning Club teams at the Surrey Clubs Cross Country Relays in Nonsuch Park, 2025
Road Racing
Our athletes race on the road over distances from 5km to the Marathon all around the country and abroad, but for the Club the key events are the Southern (SEAA) and National Road Relays which always serve up a sprinkling of jeopardy and excitement. There are also plenty of local races, including the Surrey Road League series and the Friday Nights Under the Lights events in Battersea Park.
Autumn Relays
(Under 13-Under 20, Seniors, Masters age 35+)
In September, we compete in the Southern (SEAA) Road Relays. The Senior Men race over six legs (or stages), the Senior Women over four, and Juniors over three. There are also Vets races: 40+ and 50+ for Women, who race over three stages; and 40+, 50+, 60+ for Men, who compete over four stages.
In the Senior Men’s competition the first 25 ‘A’ Teams to score, as well as the first 5 Senior Men ‘B’ Teams to finish, receive an invitation to the National Championships held two weeks later in Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield. Senior Women and Junior teams do not need to qualify in order to compete in the Nationals.
(Left: the U15 Boys celebrating gold medals at the 2025 SEAA Championships)
Spring Relays
(Seniors)
Come March it is time for the 12/6 stage Southern Relays: 12 stages for the Senior Men and six for the Senior Women, with athletes running alternate long and short legs, a format which brings tactics and strategies into play – over the course of some four hours of racing in the case of the Senior Men’s event – and team positions change right up to the final few metres! The National 12/6 Stage Relays follow two weeks later, again at Sutton Park.
The Southern event also incorporates 3km and 5km Championships for Juniors.
Below: the Senior Men’s team celebrate bronze medals at the Southern 12-Stage Road Relays in 2024
Anti-doping – what you need to know
When the Club enters athletes in Championships we have to agree to this statement (or similar):
All athletes (or parents if under 18) shall be deemed to have made themselves familiar with, and agreed to be bound by the UKA Anti-Doping Rules and to submit to the authority of UK Anti-Doping in the application and enforcement of the Anti-Doping Rules. The UKA Anti-Doping Rules apply to entrants participating in the sport of Athletics, for 12 months from the date of entry, whether or not the licence holder is a citizen of, or resident in, the UK.
Check your Meds
At national level athletes may also need to agree to submit to drug-testing in accordance with the Anti-Doping Rules. You can find more information about testing procedures at https://www.ukad.org.uk
UK Athletics advice is that all athletes are solely responsible for any banned substance they use, attempt to use, or that is found in their system, regardless of how it got there and whether or not they had an intention to cheat, so It is crucial that athletes check all medications are safe prior to use, as medications for common medical conditions could contain ingredients that are prohibited within athletics.
So before using any medications, whether prescribed by a GP, bought over the counter in a pharmacy or from a supermarket shelf, check they are safe to use at https://www.globaldro.com even if you have used them before.
It is worth considering that medicines purchased whilst abroad, even in what appears to be identical packaging, may contain different or additional ingredients to those bought in the UK. For more information, including Therapeutic Use Exemptions, see https://www.uka.org.uk/governance/clean-athletics
Note, the safety of supplements cannot be checked using GlobalDRO, so go to the Supplements and Nutrition section for more information.