The 2026 Southern Athletics League season kicks off this weekend — and Momentum Track Club has put together a cash prize structure that gives every competing athlete a genuine chance of winning.
The Southern Athletics League is a joint male and female track and field league for clubs across the South of England. It runs over four matches through the summer — 16 May, 21 June, 19 July and 8 August — with clubs competing across track and field disciplines from U17 upwards, including U20s and seniors. Every athlete who competes scores points for the club, and for us those individual point totals are tracked across all four fixtures. It is one of the most accessible team athletics competitions in the region and a good way for athletes to get competitive experience right through the summer.
As we did last year, Momentum Track Club has introduced a cash prize incentive to reward athletes for their contributions across the season - and the structure has been designed to keep the competition open to as many athletes as possible, not just the top performers.
The prize pot works like this: The top five SAL point scorers across the season will take home the top five cash prizes: £450 for first, £250 for second, £175 for third, £100 for fourth and £75 for fifth. These rewards go to the athletes who rack up the most points for the club across all four matches.
The sixth prize - also £75 - works differently. Rather than going to the sixth-highest scorer, it will be awarded through a prize draw, with each point earned acting as a ticket. That means an athlete who competes consistently and scores steadily across the season has just as realistic a chance of winning this prize as someone near the top of the points table. It is a way of rewarding participation and consistency, not just finishing position.
Photo — Momentum Track Club SAL cash prize structure for 2026 — £450 top prize for the leading point scorer, with prizes for top five scorers, a prize draw and top event group performers.
The final four prizes of £50 each go to the top scorer in each event group - sprints, middle and long distance, jumps and throws - among athletes who have not already won one of the top five prizes. This means that a specialist thrower or jumper who might not appear near the top of the overall points standings still has a clear route to a prize by being the best in their discipline across the season.
In total there are ten cash prizes available, totalling £1,325, spread across three different categories. There are very few athletics clubs in the country running a prize structure like this for their SAL athletes, and it reflects the investment Momentum Track Club makes in keeping competition meaningful and rewarding for everyone involved.
With Match 1 taking place this Saturday 16th May, the battle for the prizes starts immediately. Every point scored from the very first match counts, so there is no easing in, the standings begin this weekend. There are four fixtures across the summer, which means athletes who commit to the full season give themselves the best possible chance across all three prize categories.
If you are not yet competing for Momentum Track Club in the SAL and want to get involved, it is not too late to join before the season begins. Send us a message to find out more.
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