Sport in Action

What Sport in Action does

Sport in Action is a privately-held, Cumbria-based event management company that organises community running and multi-sport events for participants of all abilities, from beginners to experienced club athletes. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in the Carlisle/Wigton area, the company operates a portfolio of 12+ annual events including road races (Carlisle Resolution 5K & 10K, 3 Village 5 & 10, Sport in Action 10K, Longtown 10), a multi-race SIA Festival of Running (Kirkbride 5 Mile, Half Marathon, and Marathon), a summer Castle 5K Series, urban and trail runs, and multi-sport events (Ullswater Triathlon, Talkin Tarn Duathlon, Carlisle City Aquathlon), plus charity events (Carlisle Remembrance Run, Carlisle Santa Walk & Dash).

The company differentiates itself through accessible pricing, a comprehensive age-group prize policy covering juniors through 70s/80s, bespoke medals for all finishers, UKA-licensed and officially measured courses, chip timing with live online results, and inclusive participation that welcomes wheelchairs, prams, and dogs. Underlying technology is operational rather than proprietary: chip timing, the Timing Up North Results platform for live and archived results (back to 2012), RideWithGPS for route mapping, and standard website/social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr) for marketing and participant engagement.

Sport in Action's revenue model is event-driven, combining participant entry fees (one-time per-event payments) with event and series sponsorship from local and regional businesses (e.g., A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products, AM Caravans, Bike Seven, Steven James Fitness). The company also partners with charities (Jigsaw Cumbria Children's Hospice, Royal British Legion) who receive 100% of entry fees from designated events. Customer segments span community runners and families, regional running and triathlon clubs, and a small base of recurring local sponsors. The business is independently owned with no parent company, no institutional funding, and operates regionally within Cumbria and the wider North of England/Scotland catchment.

Name

Sport in Action

Legal name

Sport in Action

Website

https://sportinaction.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sport in Action is a privately-held Cumbria-based event management company that organises community running, trail, and multi-sport races (including triathlons, duathlons, and aquathlons) for participants of all abilities across the Carlisle and Solway Coast area, with revenue from entry fees and local sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Running and Multi-Sport Event Management

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Event Promotion & Tournament Operations (MPAKAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments (MPAGAMAF)

Keywords

• Running event management
• Community sports events
• Triathlon race organization
• Charity running events
• Race timing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wigton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Entry Fees: Sport in Action generates revenue primarily through participant entry fees for its organised running, trail, and triathlon events. Entry fees are kept at a fair, accessible price point to encourage broad community participation.
2. Event Sponsorship: The company partners with local and regional businesses who sponsor individual events or event series, providing financial support in exchange for brand visibility at events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sport in Action is a community-focused event management company that organizes and hosts an annual portfolio of running, trail, multi-sport, and triathlon events across Cumbria, UK, ranging from 2K family fun runs to marathons and standard-distance triathlons. Each event is officially measured, fully chip-timed, and supported by bespoke finisher medals, a comprehensive age-group prize policy, and live online results. Revenue is generated primarily through participant entry fees and event/series sponsorships from local and regional businesses.

Product overview

Sport in Action is a Cumbria-based events company that organizes community running and multi-sport events across the Carlisle and Solway Coast area. The company operates a portfolio of annual racing events including the Carlisle Resolution 5K & 10K (January), 3 Village 5 & 10 (April), Carlisle City Urban Trail Run (May), Castle 5K Series (summer), Sport in Action 10K (September), and the SIA Festival of Running featuring Kirkbride 5 Mile, Half Marathon, and Marathon (June). Additional events include the Carlisle Remembrance Run (November) and Carlisle Santa Walk & Dash (December). The company also organizes triathlon events (Ullswater Triathlon), duathlons (Talkin Tarn), and aquathlons. All events feature bespoke medals, chip timing, prize policies covering overall and age group categories, and complimentary photo galleries. Events are UKA licensed where applicable and use officially measured courses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carlisle Resolution 5K & 10K Annual January running event held at Carlisle Racecourse featuring 5K and 10K distances on an officially measured and chip-timed course, open to runners of all abilities.
• 3 Village 5 & 10 April running event featuring 5-mile and 10-mile distances on undulating country roads starting and finishing at Wetheral Village Community Hall, near Carlisle.
• Carlisle City Urban Trail Run Approximately 10K urban trail run through Carlisle city centre including Carlisle Cathedral, Millennium Bridge, Carlisle Castle, Bitts Park, and Rickerby Park.
• Castle 5K Series Summer series of 5K races around Carlisle Castle and Bitts Park, featuring 5 races with the option to complete one virtually.
• SIA Festival of Running Multi-race festival in June featuring Kirkbride 5 Mile, Kirkbride Half Marathon, and Kirkbride Marathon on flat, PB-potential courses, head-quartered at the White Heather Hotel in Kirkbride.
• Sport in Action 10K Annual 10K race in September at Sheepmount Athletics Stadium, featuring an officially measured and fully chip-timed course.
• Carlisle Remembrance Run Non-competitive 5K community run in November supporting the Royal British Legion, with a 2K family fun run option.
• Carlisle Santa Walk & Dash Annual December charity event featuring a 5K Santa Dash and 2K family fun run/walk, with 100% of entry fees going to Jigsaw Children's Hospice.
• Talkin Tarn Duathlon Sprint duathlon featuring a 5K run, 20K bike, and 2.5K run around Talkin Tarn country park.
• A.W. Jenkinson Ullswater Triathlon Standard distance triathlon at the Park Foot site on Ullswater featuring a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle, and 10km run.
• Carlisle City Aquathlon Multi-sport event combining swimming and running, featuring distances varying by age category.
• Longtown 10 10-mile road race through the border town of Longtown on a looped course with scenic views.
• Kirkbride 5 Mile Flat 5-mile race through Kirkbride and Newton Arlosh, finishing at The White Heather Hotel; officially measured UKA-licensed event.
• Kirkbride Half Marathon Flat half marathon on quiet country roads with two loops through Kirkbride and Newton Arlosh; officially measured and certified course.
• Kirkbride Marathon Marathon along the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, marketed as one of the flattest marathon courses in the UK with only 79m total climb.

Quantifiable outcome

• Events attract participants from across the North of England and Scotland, including club runners, individual participants, and families

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• A. W. Jenkinson Forest ProductscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerA. W. Jenkinson Forest Products is the title sponsor of the Ullswater Triathlon. The inaugural event was organised by Sport in Action in partnership with A.W. Jenkinson, with the sponsor also fielding a team in the event. Stepahnie Bateman, Simon Bulloch and Jonathon Simpson from the sponsor took second place in the team event.
• AM CaravanscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAM Caravans, Carlisle's trusted name for quality used touring caravans and motorhomes, is the series sponsor for the Castle 5K Series 2026. As series sponsor, the company receives brand visibility across all 5 races in the series.
• Jigsaw Cumbria Children's HospicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJigsaw is Cumbria's Children's Hospice and the sole charity beneficiary of the annual Carlisle Santa Dash. The company aims for 100% of all entry fees (excluding medal cost) to go directly to the charity. Local companies are sought to sponsor event costs to maximise donations.
• Royal British LegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Royal British Legion is the charity beneficiary of the Carlisle Remembrance Run. The company aims for 100% of all entry fees to go directly to the Royal British Legion, with the event designed to raise money for the organisation's work supporting serving personnel, veterans, and their families.
• Timing Up North ResultscoreTechnology or IntegrationTiming Up North Results provides live and archived race results for all Sport in Action events. Results are available online approximately 10-20 minutes after race start. This platform hosts results dating back to 2012.
• Steven James Green (Steven James Fitness and Nutrition)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSteven James Green, owner of Steven James Fitness and Nutrition, is the new Health and Fitness Partner of Sport in Action. He provides online coaching and fitness content for participants. His brand serves clients across the UK and internationally (Australia, Tennessee).
• White Heather HotelcoreOthersThe White Heather Hotel in Kirkbride serves as the official Race HQ for the SIA Festival of Running events (Kirkbride 5 Mile, Half Marathon, and Marathon). The hotel provides facilities including ample parking, toilets, and light refreshments for event participants.
• Bike SevenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBike Seven, a cycle company, was the sponsor of the Talkin Tarn Sprint Duathlon event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Human Race: UK race organizer producing triathlons, marathons, cycling sportives, and mass-participation running events. Directly comparable business model of organising licensed, chip-timed endurance events for community and club participants.
• Nice Work Race Events: Regional UK race organizer running a portfolio of running events across the south of England. Same chip-timed, UKA-licensed community race business model with sponsorship and entry-fee revenue mix.
• Threshold Sports: UK-based endurance and mass-participation event company organising multi-day and single-day running, cycling, and triathlon events. Closely comparable operating model and participant base.
• Xtra Mile Events: UK running event organizer offering road, trail, and multi-terrain races. Comparable in producing officially measured, community-focused events with sponsorship and entry-fee monetization.
• Trailplus: Specialist UK trail running event organizer hosting ultras, half marathons, and trail races. Overlaps directly with Sport in Action's trail and road event portfolio.
• RunThrough: UK-wide running event organizer hosting mass-participation road and trail races. Comparable chip-timed, community-friendly running event model with similar entry-fee plus sponsorship revenue mix.

Broad incumbents

• IRONMAN UK: Global triathlon and endurance event brand with UK events. Provides premium-positioned competition for Sport in Action's Ullswater Triathlon; comparable multi-sport event operations.
• Great Run: National mass-participation event organizer behind the Great North Run and dozens of UK running events. Operates a similar event-promotion model but at national scale with major sponsorships and broadcast partnerships.

Regional players

• Eden Runners: Cumbria-based running club that participates in Sport in Action events. While not a commercial peer, it represents the type of community-running ecosystem competitor that hosts smaller club-led events in the same geography.

Others

• TimingUpNorth Results: Timing and results technology partner currently used by Sport in Action. Provides live chip-timed results infrastructure to multiple UK race organizers, including many small to mid-size regional event companies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Sport_in_Action
• Facebookfacebook.com/SportInAction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sport-in-action

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sport in Action