Blog
The Racecheck 2024 Awards
Alexandros Tanti • 3 February 2025
With nearly 100,000 reviews collected from participants worldwide, Racecheck is proud to reveal the races that delivered exceptional experiences in 2024.
Racecheck reveals 2023 award winners
With almost 65,000 reviews collected from all over the world on the Racecheck platform, we take a look at which races were consistently rated highly enough to qualify for a gold, silver or bronze award in 2023.
2023 was a pivotal year for mass participation, with numbers finally recovering to pre-2019 and showing great momentum for the year ahead.
The pickup in momentum was obvious when looking at race review numbers on Racecheck. The number of races receiving a review in 2023 almost doubled from 2022, which had already doubled from 2021. It is also interesting to note that the number of races qualifying for a race award went up to 152 in 2023, vs 69 in 2022 and 33 in 2021. We’re also proud to see non-UK/US races awarded from Botswana, Ireland, France, Croatia, Montenegro and Turkey.
So, we can now reveal which events delivered standout experiences with our annual rundown of the Racecheck Awards.
It’s always worth remembering that these are not awards chosen by the team at Racecheck. They are unique. These organisers don’t have to pay to be eligible for an award. The people judging the races are those who have participated and crossed the finish line, so the results are honest and genuine. This isn’t a popularity contest based on the number of followers — it’s all about the experience. Races qualify for gold, silver and bronze awards by achieving benchmark average ratings from the reviews they receive. An award from those who have taken part is surely the highest accolade for an event organiser and a huge confidence boost. Winners earn the right to display the unique Racecheck award badges in their marketing, social media and websites to show off how respected the race is within the events community. It’s a powerful tool for growing races.
For more specific details on the Racecheck awards, including criteria and how to get one, please visit this link
The events that were consistently rated as the highest performing across all of the Racecheck review rating criteria:
Best of the Best — Racecheck’s TOP RATED
Alongside Gold, Silver and Bronze, we recognize the absolute top-rated events within each sporting category. Congratulations to these seven outstanding organisers for achieving the top of the top.
The winners of our Top-Rated Award for 2023 are…
Off-road Running
Tenacious Ten Hour Endurance Challenge — Limitless Trails
Road Running
Killin 10k & 5k — Tay Fitness Events
Swimming
Thames Marathon and Half Marathon Swim— Open Water Swimming Ltd
Obstacles
Commando at Hever Castle — Castle Race Series
Triathlon
ATW Odyssey Events — Active Training World
Cycling
Etape Loch Ness — Caledonian Concepts
Duathlon
Portsmouth Duathlon — Believe & Achieve Events
Gold Award Winners
Racecheck rating: 4.75 and above and a minimum of 30 reviews
Organiser: Limitless Trails
Score: 4.96
Category: Off-road Running
2. Event: Run to the Sea Bournemouth
Organiser: UltraViolet Ltd
Score: 4.95
Category: Off-road Running
3. Event: Rabbit Challenge
Organiser: Big Bear Events
Score: 4.95
Category: Off-road Running
Other events that achieved a GOLD award are:
4. Etape Loch Ness — 4.94 — Cycling
5. Run at the Rock (USA) — 4.93 — Off-road Running
6. Sheetz to Sheetz Trail Run (USA) — 4.92 — Off-road Running
7. XNRG The Druid’s Challenge — 4.91 — Off-road Running
8. Killin 10k & 5K — 4.91 — Road Running
9. Festive Fifty Lincolnshire — 4.91 — Cycling
10. Moonlit Meadow Run — Darl Skies Night Run Series — 4.90 — Off-road Running
The Big Pilgrimage — 4.90 — Off-road Running
The Eau Claire Marathon (USA) — 4.90 — Road Running
Mhor 84 10k & Half Marathon — 4.90 — Road Running
Cannock 50–4.90 — Off-road Running
Gut Buster — 4.90 — Off-road Running
Mhor Marathon — 4.90 — Road Running
Equinox 24–4.90 — Off-road Running
Secret Santa 12k, 10 mile & Half Marathon — 4.89 — Off-road Running
BigSky — New Forest, Hampshire — 4.89 — Off-road Running
Dearne Valley 10k — 4.89 — Road Running
Festive Fifty Yorkshire — 4.89 — Cycling
Selkie Henley Classic — 4.89 — Swimming
Beast of Llangattock 10k, 10 & 20 mile & 32 mile ultra trail running challenges — 4.88 — Off-road Running
Gorseinon 10k — 4.88 — Road Running
Great British Divide — 4.88 — Cycling
The Icing on the Cake Trail Run — 4.88 — Off-road Running
BigWayRound — 4.88 — Off-road Running
Dahlgren Heritage Rail Trail 50k (USA) — 4.88 — Off-road Running
One Fyne Night — 4.88 — Off-road Running
Skipton Skedaddle Trail Race & Ultramarathon — 4.88 — Off-road Running
Kilmovee 10k (Ireland) — 4.87 — Road Running
Coombe 10k — 4.87 — Off-road Running
Beacons to the Blacks 50 Mile Ultra, Marathon, Half Marathon & 12k — 4.87 — Off-road Running
MBNA Chester Marathon & MBNA Chester Metric Marathon — 4.86 — Road Running
The Great British Escapade — 4.87 — Cycling
Storm the Fort-Dark Skies Night Run Series — 4.87 — Off-road Running
Eyam Half Marathon — 4.87 — Road Running
Thornhill 10k & 2.5k — 4.87 — Road Running
Thames Marathon & Half Marathon Swim — 4.86 — Swimming
ATW Odyssey Events — 4.86 — Triathlon
Trail Monkey Double Top Ultra Marathon (Jersey) — 4.86 — Off-Road Running
Hoby Hop Trail Race — 4.86 — Off-road Running
The Lakesman Triathlon — 4.85 — Triathlon
The Longhorn — 4.85 — Off-road Running
Big Sea — Isle of Purbeck 50k & 18 mile — 4.85 — Off-road Running
MBNA Chester 10k — 4.84 — Road Running
Ultra Swim 33.3 (Croatia & Montenegro) — 4.84 — Swimming
Round The Rock Ultra (Jersey) — 4.84 — Off-road Running
Sphinx Coombe 8–4.84 — Off-road Running
Bradenham Blast — 4.84 — Off-road Running
Orion 15–4.83 — Off-road Running
Salt Pans Ultra Trail Marathon (Botswana) — 4.83 — Off-road Running
Exmoor Explorer — 4.83 — Cycling
Ripon Stinger Trail Race & Ultramarathon — 4.83 — Off-road Running
Essar Chester Half Marathon — 4.82 — Road Running
Beast of the Beacons 10, 20 & 40 mile Ultra Trail Running Challenge — 4.82 — Off-road Running
Blacks to the Beacons Marathon & 50 mile Ultra, Half Marathon & 12k — 4.82 — Off-road Running
Run Killarney (Ireland) — 4.82 — Road Running
South Downs & Arundel Marathon & 15 mile Winter Trails — 4.82 — Off-road Running
The Hampshire Hoppit Trail Marathon & Half Marathon — 4.82 — Off-road Running
Run Sandringham 24–4.82 — Off-road Running
Swindon Ultra Trail 50–4.82 — Off-road Running
Harrogate & Knaresborough, Jubilee Trail Race & Ultramarathon — 4.81 — Off-road Running
Camino Ultra Lee Valley — 4.81 — Off-road Running
Barns Green Half Marathon — 4.80 — Road Running
Big Texas Run (USA) — 4.81 — Road Running
Crackpots Trail Run — 4.81 — Off-road Running
Stort 10 & 5 mile — 4.80 — Off-road Running
Black Mountains 50 mile Ultra, Marathon, Half Marathon & 32 Mile Trail — 4.80 — Off-road Running
Nidderdale Way Ultramarathon & Dark Skies Trail Marathon — 4.80 — Off-road Running
Dahlgren Trail Half Marathon (USA) — 4.80 — Off-road Running
Dirt Half Challenge — 4.80 — Off-road Running
Welcome Way Trail Race & Ultramarathon — 4.79 — Off-road Running
Baxters Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running — 4.79 — Road Running
Pieces of Eight & Bayside 10k — 4.79 — Off-road Running
Wright Hassall Leamington Regency 10k — 4.79 — Road Running
Lyme Park Half Marathon — 4.79 — Off-road Running
Run Sandringham — 4.79 — Off-road Running
XNRG The Pilgrim Challenge — 4.78 — Off-road Running
Tadworth 10–4.78 — Off-road Running
Ealing Half Marathon — 4.78 — Road Running
Minehead Triathlon — 4.78 — Triathlon
The Frankenstein — 4.78 — Off-road Running
BigMud — 4.77 — Off-road Running
The Gralloch — 4.77 — Cycling
Halloween 5 & 10 Mile Event — 4.77 — Road Running
ATW Watford Half Marathon — 4.76 — Road Running
Beast of the Blacks 10, 20 & 40 Mile Trail Running Challenge — 4.76 — Off-road Running
XNRG Humanity Direct Amersham Ultra — 4.76 — Off-road Running
Run Reigate Trail — 4.76 — Off-road Running
Quantock Quake — 4.76 — Cycling
Marlow 7–4.76 — Road Running
Hadleigh Hares 5 & 10 Mile Road Race & Junior 2k Fun Run — 4.76 — Road Running
Devizes Half Marathon & Fun Run — 4.75 — Road Running
The Northumbrian — 4.75 — Triathlon
Outlaw Nottingham Triathlon — 4.75 — Triathlon
The Winter Railway Ultra — 4.75 — Off-road Running
XNRG Humanity Direct Tring Ultra — 4.75 — Off-road Running
Raiders Gravel — 4.75 — Cycling
The Richmond Castle 10k — 4.75 — Road Running
Run Leicester Festival — 4.75 — Road Running
Club to Pub — 4.75 — Swimming
Silver Award Winners
Racecheck rating: 4.64 to 4.74 and a minimum of 30 reviews
- Event: Charlottesville Ten Miler (USA)
Organiser: Charlottesville Track Club
Score: 4.74
Category: Road Running
2. Event: Kielder Marathon Weekend
Organiser: Events of the North
Score: 4.74
Category: Off-Road Running
3. Event: The Charles Darwin Day
Organiser: How Hard Can it Be Events
Score: 4.73
Category: Road Running
Other events that achieved a SILVER award are:
4. Cappadocia Ultra Trail (Turkey) — 4.72 — Off-road Running
5. London Landmarks Half Marathon — 4.72 — Road Running
6. Fleet Half Marathon — 4.72 — Road Running
7. Mendip Murmuration — 4.72 — Cycling
8. Epping Forest 50k — 4.72 — Off-road Running
9. Jolly Holly Jog — 4.72 — Off-road Running
10. Falkirk Epic Trail 10k — 4.71 — Off-road Running
BigXmas — 4.71 — Off-road Running
Quest to the West — 4.71 — Cycling
AEPG Great Eastern Run — 4.70 — Road Running
Outdoor Swimmer Henley Swim Festival — 4.69 — Swimming
Marlow Half Marathon — 4.69 — Road Running
Oldbury White Horse Sprint Triathlon — 4.69 — Triathlon
Lou Fusz Subaru St. Louis Triathlon (USA) — 4.67 — Triathlon
Commando at Hever Castle — 4.67 — Obstacles
Lough Cutra Castle-Triathlon Series (Ireland) — 4.67 — Triathlon
Portsmouth Duathlon — 4.67 — Duathlon
Portsmouth Coastal Half Marathon — 4.67 — Off-road Running
Ironbourne Triathlon — 4.67 — Triathlon
Eastbourne Triathlon — 4.66 — Triathlon
Endure24 — Reading — 4.65 — Off-road Running
Burrator 10k — 4.65 — Road Running
Swindon ‘Trail’ Half Marathon — 4.65 — Off-road Running
Cattle Creep…A Little Further — 4.65 — Off-road Running
Bronze Award Winners
Racecheck rating: 4.55 to 4.64 and a minimum of 30 reviews
- Event: The Flat 100
Organiser: Sportive HQ
Score: 4.64
Category: Cycling
2. Event: Cholmondeley Castle — Triathlon Series
Organiser: Castle Race Series
Score: 4.63
Category: Triathlon
3. Event: Devon Trail Races
Organiser: Sportiva Events
Score: 4.62
Category: Off-road Running
Other events that achieved a BRONZE award are:
4. Mallard Cake Dash — 4.61 — Road Running
5. Chateau de Chantilly — Triathlon Series (France) — 4.61 — Triathlon
6. Tour of Pembrokeshire — 4.61 — Cycling
7. Great North Swim — 4.60 — Swimming
8. Chichester 10k — 4.60 — Road Running
9. Torbay Triathlon — 4.59 — Triathlon
10. 370 Lakeside Triathlon (USA) — 4.58 — Triathlon
Basingstoke Half Marathon — 4.58 — Road Running
AJ Bell Great South Run — 4.57 — Road Running
Sunderland City Runs — 4.56 — Road Running
Canaccord Jersey Half Marathon (Jersey) — 4.55 — Road Running
Northstowe Half Marathon & 5k — 4.55 — Road Running
Worcester City 10k & Half Marathon — 4.55 — Road Running
Looking ahead
Congratulations to all of our 2023 award recipients. These awards are a gesture of recognition for all the hard work and dedication that has gone on behind the scenes to plan and organise unforgettable experiences for people. In a world that is becoming increasingly digital, these organisers are making a real contribution to society by offering outstanding real-life experiences that bring people together in the great outdoors. We look forward to awarding over 500 events in 2024!
