Supporting life-saving causes: Cambridge University Sport partners with the Cambridge Half Marathon

The University of Cambridge Sports Service is proud to celebrate its sixth year of partnership with the Cambridge Half Marathon. This collaboration supports both local and national charities and facilitates a stunning race route through some of Cambridge’s most iconic Colleges. 

Before 2019, the event shared the same 2 miles of route at the start and finish of the half marathon, limiting the number of participants. Thanks to the generous support of King’s, St John’s, Trinity and Jesus Colleges, subsequent routes have passed through their beautiful grounds. This has not only enhanced the experience for participants but also reduced the overlap at the end of the race to only 400m. This has tripled the capacity of the event with over 13,500 participants completing the race in 2025 and raising around £1 million for good causes. The event also relies on local volunteers and many students and staff support the race as marshals, as well as cheering on participants along the route. 

Over the years, our partnership has enabled us to choose a charity organisation for the event. These have included, CPSL Mind, Power2Inspire, and the Charlie Waller Trust. Being nominated as a national charity partner allows the charity to sell event spaces for fundraising, have a clear presence on the event website, booking process and participant emails, as well as a space in the event village to promote the charity to all event participants and spectators. Together, we’ve helped enhance mental health services in the Cambridge area and supported inclusive sports events for schools and community groups by raising in excess of £200,000.  

University Sports Service partnerships remember Clarissa

This year, the Sports Service partnered with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) and Clarissa’s Campaign for Cambridge Hearts. 

Cambridge Student, Clarissa Nicholls was in her third year studying French and Italian at Trinity Hall when she tragically passed away from an undiagnosed arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) while hiking in France during her year abroad in 2023. In her memory, her friends and family launched Clarissa’s Campaign for Cambridge Hearts, raising funds to screen young people for undiagnosed heart conditions. They have worked closely with CRY to raise awareness of cardiac risk in young people, deliver heart screening events in Cambridge and supporting research into screening methods to reach more people. 

Thanks to this year’s Cambridge Half Marathon partnership, CRY and the Clarissa Campaign for Cambridge Hearts has raised over £23,000 — enough to fund heart screenings for over 600 young people. With an estimated 1 in 300 young people living with an undiagnosed heart condition, this funding has the potential to save multiple lives. 

Sport brings people together in powerful ways—celebrating achievements, creating memories, and, in this case, making a lasting difference by helping to save lives.