The City of Cape Town will ‘roll out the welcome mat’ when the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon returns to the South African city’s streets and mountain trails on 17 October 2021.
The organisers have confirmed that they are ready to host the country’s first major marathon for 2021, and that they are on track with final preparations, in accordance with a COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Plan.
“We are excited to welcome over 9,000 marathon runners and 1,000 trail runners this coming weekend,” said Renee Jordaan, Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Race Director.
“We also anticipate over 5,000 local and international participants in our 5km, 10km and 21km Virtual Peace Runs, which runners can still enter until 15 October.”
In the elite camp, Stephen Mokaka is aiming to make it two wins from two starts at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, while Gerda Steyn is looking for a marathon victory on her marathon debut on South African soil. But the two South Africans will face some stiff competition on 17 October.
Race week will kick off with the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Registration and Expo at DHL Cape Town Stadium on 15-16 October, where participants will undergo their COVID rapid antigen tests, collect their race packs and do some pre-race shopping.
Trail runners will line up at the start of the 46km and 22km trail runs on Saturday, 16 October. On the same day, runners from across the globe can participate in the Virtual Peace Runs.
The Cape Town Marathon will take centre stage on Sunday 17 October, when over 9,000 runners will take to ‘the Mother City’s streets along the iconic and scenic race route.’
‘Organising the 2021 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon has had its own unique set of challenges in the face of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A comprehensive Risk Mitigation Plan presented to stakeholders at the highest levels has earned race organisers the green light from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, and the City of Cape Town to host the event this year.’
Amendments made for the safety and wellness of everybody involved in the event include a reduced marathon field, compulsory antigen tests prior to registration, and a staggered race start with small groups.
“Sadly, this year’s race is required to be a spectator-free event, but we can assure all athletes that our refreshment point crew will add all the energy and vibe they need to power through the course from start to finish,” added Renee Jordaan.
“We encourage supporters to follow the event on SuperSport 1 or SABC 2, on our Facebook page or website. We thank the community in advance for supporting our safety adjustments and helping us stage a safe and responsible event.”
Echoing Jordaan’s comments, JP Smith, the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, said “The City of Cape Town views the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon as one of the key events that could go a long way in being a catalyst in the long-term recovery, as well as the sustainability of the events and tourism industries.”
