The annual Tonbridge AC Midsummer Relays return to the grandeur of the spectacular Penshurst Place and Gardens on Wednesday, 24th June 2026, with extra races and prizes.

The inaugural event in 2024 saw 94 teams of three athletes in action. As word got around, this increased to 134 teams in last year's 3x4K relay event, which was chip-timed by NE Timing.

This year sees a new 'Corporate or Business' team category, running alongside the traditional men's, women's and mixed teams who will be racing for the Alan Bennett trophies. A new trophy will be awarded to the corporate team relay winners this year.

Another innovation is the introduction of a junior race for the new UK Athletics age groups of under-12, under-14, and under-16. This will be held over a single lap, measured at 2K.

The current holders of the Alan Bennett memorial trophies are the host club Tonbridge AC (men), Tunbridge Wells Harriers (women), and Sevenoaks AC (mixed). The course record times for the undulating, multi-terrain 4K lap belong to Tunbridge Wells Harriers' Liam White with 12:09 in 2024, and Ashley Fennell with 14:19 in 2025.

The junior race will precede the main relay at 6:30pm, with entries costing £5 per athlete. The senior relay entry costs £24 per team of three runners and is open to under-18s and over. Entries are now live at Open Track here...

Prize sponsors include the Foundry Gym in Tonbridge, Springbank Clinic, a family-owned multi-disciplinary healthcare practice in Sevenoaks, Birketts, a UK top-50 law firm, Squerryes Winery, the quiz app Quizified, and the Running Hub in Southborough.

The venue at Penshurst Place and Gardens is a 14th-century Manor House, once the property of King Henry VIII and his son, King Edward VI, who granted it to Sir William Sidney in 1552. The Sidney family has occupied the property for more than 470 years.

Full event details are at the Tonbridge AC website here. 

Results and reports are at the runABC South race listing here.

Photos courtesy of Charlotte Knee Photography