All you need to know about the 2025 Chariots of Fire relay race in Cambridge

The ever-popular fixture in the Cambridge calendar that is the Chariots of Fire relay race returns to the city streets, and parts of the University, this Sunday (21 September), and with it hundreds of runners - some wearing costumes - who will once again take part.

The charity race - a six-person relay - follows in the footsteps of the 1981 film, Chariots of Fire, and was established by leading law firm Hewitsons (now HCR Hewitsons).

Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, which provides specialist nurses and support for seriously ill children across the UK, is this year’s chosen charity.

At present, more than 200 Roald Dahl nurses across the UK care for more than 40,000 children and their families, including 23 supporting around 7,500 seriously ill children in Cambridgeshire and the East of England.

Find out more about the charity and Roald Dahl nurses at roalddahlcharity.org.

The event village is located at Queens’ Green, Queen’s Road, Cambridge, and it is important to note that there is no specific parking.

Therefore, anyone coming by car is asked to arrive early to find a suitable parking spot and walk over to the event. It is advisable to come by public transport where possible.

There will be toilets and refreshments at the event village, and spectators are welcome. The race starts at 9.30am and runners should collect their race packs between 8-9am.

There will be a warm-up and pre-race briefing in the event village 15 minutes before the start.

All runners from each team are required to attend the briefing. This will explain the flow of the race and where each leg runner is required to be to start, finish and spectate throughout the morning.

From here, the 1st leg runners will be walked to the start line to begin the race. There will be marshals all around the course, as well as signs and arrows, and each runner will complete one 3km lap.

On completing your leg, you will run under the gantry and pass the baton onto your next leg runner.

Once handed over, you will be directed to leave from whichever side of the finish line you are closest to (please don’t try to cross the route as this may obstruct other teams).

Prior to your leg, runners are asked to wait in the wings by the change over gantry. As your runner approaches, you will be invited to the line.

Please communicate with your team mates in advance which side you plan to be on, and where you plan to meet after the race. There will be a bottle of water waiting for each runner at the finish line.

All runners can meet back in the finish funnel to welcome back the final runner of your team.

From here, you can all collect your medals together. Or alternatively, if you’re cheering on from the course, the final runner can collect all six medals.

View a map of the course at chariots-of-fire.co.uk/route-maps/.

Headphones are not permitted during the race, unless bone conducting.

Should you choose to wear these, you are asked you keep the volume low in order to remain aware of your surroundings at all times and can hear any marshal instructions during the race.

There will be road closures in the city centre and closures at some University of Cambridge colleges while runners are on the course.

The Chariots of Fire film tells the story of Harold Abrahams, a Cambridge runner, and his bid to win a gold medal in the 1924 Olympics.

It includes the iconic scene of the race around Trinity College Great Court - although the scene was actually filmed at Eton College.

The first Chariots of Fire charity race took place in 1992 and was the initial idea of Bill Matthews, race director for many years, who joined the committee of a local charity and was looking for fundraising ideas.

Watching the famous film rekindled memories of an earlier trip to Olympia in the Peloponnese and he came up with the idea of a local charity fundraising race.

For more information, visit chariots-of-fire.co.uk.