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Rock, Paper, Scissors Sets London Marathon's 2027 Elite Schedule
Catherine Debrunner beat Sabastian Sawe to settle London's 2027 elite race days. Men race April 24, women April 25; both mass fields remain mixed.
Catherine Debrunner beat Sabastian Sawe at rock, paper, scissors, and the result settled who gets Sunday at the 2027 London Marathon. The showdown between the reigning champions gave the women’s elite and wheelchair fields April 25. The men’s races will open the weekend on Saturday, April 24.
London Marathon Events confirmed the assignments on September 30. The two-day format had already been announced; the game settled the order of the elite races. It does not assign every recreational runner’s race day.
The confirmed schedule
| Date | Scheduled competition fields |
|---|---|
| Saturday, April 24, 2027 | Elite men, elite men’s wheelchair, male Championship and Good for Age |
| Sunday, April 25, 2027 | Elite women, elite women’s wheelchair, female Championship and Good for Age |
Both mass-participation fields will include men, women, and non-binary runners. A woman with a Saturday mass entry still races Saturday; a man assigned to Sunday still races Sunday.
Sunday also brings a change to London’s women’s start. Female Championship runners will line up behind the elite women for the first time, the organizer says. CEO Hugh Brasher said separating the elite fields would give the athletes more attention.
What traveling runners should check
For U.S. runners planning a London trip, check the date on your entry before booking flights or setting your final training week. The official Double FAQs say allocated days are fixed. Entrants cannot exchange places with someone racing on the other day, including a friend or family member.
The course from Greenwich to Westminster will be the same on both days. Organizers plan to welcome 100,000 participants across the weekend. The Double is a one-off format for 2027.
Saturday’s finish line will close at 5:30 p.m. London time. The FAQ gives a maximum completion time of 7 hours, 45 minutes and asks runners who expect to need longer to contact the organizer before paying for a Saturday place.
The listed mass-race starts, 9 a.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. Sunday, remain provisional. Your wave matters when working out how much time you have. Use the participant instructions as they are confirmed to plan your own start.
Sources
- London Marathon Events, elite schedule announcement. Competition dates, mixed mass fields, and women’s Championship start.
- London Marathon Events, 2027 Double FAQs. Course, fixed entry dates, Saturday time limit, and provisional starts. The newer announcement resolves competition dates still pending in the FAQ.
- Marathon Handbook, September 30 report. Debrunner’s win over Sawe, also confirmed by the organizer.