Winter Program 2026
The 2026 Winter Season commenced on 26 April.
This year there will be a reduced Winter Competition commencing on Sunday 26 April with the 5km Run and Walk Championships, then continuing with four other Championships weeks during the winter season, supported by various running and walk events. All walks and runs during the 2026 winter season are conducted as scratch races. See also the Winter Season Notes below.
SAMA competition will generally be held on Sunday afternoons at various venues in the parklands around Adelaide. The 20km Walk / Half-Marathon Walk & Run Championships will be held in the morning on Sunday 9 August.
All are welcome to take part in our walks and runs. Come at least 20 minutes before your event to register. However, only financial SAMA members are eligible for placing in State Age Group (SAG) Championships events. Full details of each week’s competition are available in the Events Calendar, and the 2026 Winter Program is available to download using the button below.
The winter program also identifies ASA, AMA, SARRC and Walkers club events that SAMA athletes are welcome to enter.
SAMA will also hold a Winter Track & Field competition at SA Athletics Stadium on Saturday 1 August in the afternoon (see the Event for details). This event will provide an opportunity for athletes entered for the WMA Championships to be held in Daegu (and others) to have a hit-out prior to the Championships.
2026 Winter Season Notes
2026 Winter Season Notes
| > The SAMA program this winter will be just the five championship days and will change to Sundays. Please note the start times! George White will act as Winter Coordinator for these events | ||||
| > Walkers Club have events every week on Saturdays from 11th April to 12th September. CLICK HERE for their program. |
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| > At all SAMA events the main race(s) and all supporting races will start at the same time | ||||
| > Bring your own Afternoon tea | ||||
| > Records for winter distances will be accepted from any race conducted on an AIMS certified course. (Does not normally include any parkruns). Walk records will only be accepted if the race was judged and with supporting lap score sheet and judge’s summary. |
Championships & Special Events
Australian Masters Athletics (AMA) Winter Postal Championship Events
The AMA Postal Half Marathon Racewalking Championships is being held as a postal event in 2026 ( in place of the 20km event held in previous years) covering walks undertaken bewteen 1 May 2026 and 30 September 2026 (see the AMA website for further details).
SAMA is holding both 20km Walks Championships and Half-Marathon Walks Championships on Sunday 9 August 2026 (see the Event for details). The 21.1km Race Walk will be a recognised event for the 2026 AMA Postal Half Marathon Racewalking Championships.
The other SA race eligible for the AMA Championships is the ASA State Road Walk Championships on 4th July 2026.
The AMA Postal 10km Road Championships is being held as a postal event in 2026, covering runs undertaken between February and 20 October (see the AMA website for full details).
The SAMA 10km Championships held on 17 May 2026 (see the Event for details), together with races at the Adelaide Marathon Festival on 3 May, and the Barossa Marathon Festival on 23 August will constitute the South Australian races eligible for the AMA 2026 Postal 10km Road Championships.
SAMA Winter Championships 2026
State Masters Athletics Championships (State Age Group Championships)
The Winter Championships are for all SAMA members, and we encourage you to enter. NB. Only financial competing members can enter championship events.
Entries for all Championships can be made on the day – please come at least 20 minutes before your event to register.
They are run basically as per our normal competition but results are determined by 5 year age groups and this means you will competing against those in your age group. A Certificate is awarded to all participating entrants, showing placing, performance and age-graded percentage for all their events.
The 5km Run and 5km Walks Championships will be held at the first winter season competition on Sunday 26 April 2026.
See the Event for further details.
The 10km Run and 10km Walks Championships will be held on Sunday 17 May 2026. The 10km Run will also serve as a recognised event for the AMA Postal 10km Road Championships.
See the Event for further details.
The SAMA Cross Country Championships will be held on Sunday 14 June 2026.
See the Event for further details.
The SAMA 15km Walks Championships will be held on Sunday 12 July 2026.
See the Event for further details.
The SAMA 20km Walks Championships and the SAMA Half-Marathon Walk & Run Championships will be held on Sunday 9 August 2026. The 21.1km Race Walk will also serve as a recognised event for the AMA Postal Half Marathon Racewalking Championships.
See the Event for further details.
AMA Winter Throws Championships 2026
Saturday 6 June – Monday 8 June 2026
Domain Athletics Centre
Hobart, Tasmania
Registrations closed
See the Event for further information.
2026 AMA Marathon Championship
5 July 2026
In conjunction with the ASICS Gold Coast Marathon
Queensland
Entries to the Gold Coast Marathon have sold out.
See the Event for further information.
SAMA Winter Track & Field 2026
Saturday 1 August 2026
SA Athletics Stadium, Adelaide
See the Event for further information.
2026 National Cross Country Short Course Championships / Mixed Relay Championships
Saturday 22 August – Sunday 23 August 2026.
Victoria Park, Ballarat, Victoria
See the Event for further information.
World Masters Athletics Championships -Daegu 2026
August 22, 2026 – September 3, 2026.
Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Registration period December 23, 2025, to June 23, 2026
See the Event for further information.
Competing in Athletics SA 2026 Winter Season
SAMA is a full member club with Athletics SA (ASA), so that SAMA members are eligible to compete in all ASA Road, Walks and XC Events. It is recommended to compete in a SAMA uniform and if you don’t have one please see the Uniforms page for information about how to obtain one.
All financial competing SAMA members have Athletics SA (ASA) Recreational Membership and are eligible to compete in the ASA Winter Season, which includes Cross Country, Road Races & Club events, with payment of a $20 entry fee for each event (registration must be done on-line).
Information about the ASA Winter Season and the events can be found on the ASA Website.
NB. The State 10km Road Championships was incorporated into the Adelaide Marathon Festival on Sunday 3 May 2026.
Program Information
COVID-19 Precautions
SAMA competition will be conducted to comply with the COVID-19 Public Activity Requirements for South Australia , which currently allows outdoor Athletics competitions to be conducted without any restrictions. However, it is recommended that all participants in SAMA competition continue to observe social distancing and take precautions to ensure the health and safety of all participants.
SAMA is no longer required to operate under a COVID-Safe Plan.
Walking Events
In the spirit of inclusion SAMA introduced Club Walking into its program, to encourage current walkers who struggle with bent knees, previous walkers who no longer compete for fear of disqualification, and others who might like to try walking without the pressure of full Race Walking rules.
SAMA will continue to have two types of walking in its competition – Race Walking and Club Walking. Refer to SAMA By-Laws Section 24. WALKING AS AN ATHLETIC EVENT
Race Walking will be conducted under IAAF rules with the “No advantage” concept applied as is done at National (refer to the AMA website) and International competition.
For Club Walking the only rule is that there would be no running – which for our purposes will be defined by the requirement to always have one foot on the ground (bent knees will not be an issue). Walkers in this category can still be disqualified if they break the contact rule!
During normal SAMA competition, the differentiation between the two groups of walkers will only apply for ‘scratch’ races. For ‘handicap’ races (which are not judged) all walkers will be competing in a single Club Walk group.
As both types of walking would be in the same race the type of walking must be nominated on entry into ‘scratch races’. We will have some distinguishing feature on Race Walkers. Both types will have their own Club Championship events but there will only be records for Race Walking (which must fulfill the criteria for setting SAG records) and only Race Walkers would be eligible for the SAMA Walks Award (for further details refer to the Records & Awards section).
Other Information
Men and women compete together.
Records for winter distances will be accepted from any race conducted on an AIMS certified course (does not normally include any parkruns).
Walk records will only be accepted if the race was judged and with supporting lap score sheet and judge’s summary.
Summer Program
The 2025-26 Summer Season has finished. Results for all our competitions, including Championships, can be found on the Results page. The photos from summer SAMA competitions and events can be viewed via our Facebook Gallery.
Results & Photos from Special Events and Championships
AMA T&F National Championships Canberra 2026
Friday 6 March – Monday 9 March 2026.
Click on these links for SA Team photos and results.
Click here to see all Results