CAPE TOWN - The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has given the organisers of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon the go-ahead to stage the iconic marathon - albeit with a reduced field.
“We originally received support to go ahead with our planning after presenting our extensive Covid-19 Risk Mitigation Plan, but this approval officially gives us the peace of mind that we will be able to host 10 000 marathon runners in a safe race in Cape Town on October 17,” Sanlam Cape Town Marathon race director Renée Jordaan said.
“We are proud to be among the first mass participation races - and the first marathon - to return to the South African sporting arena in 18 months, and are fired up to commence the final stages of our race planning over the next month.”
A number of adjustments will be in place for the 2021 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon weekend, including a limited field of 10 000 runners, the start line moving to Fritz Sonnenberg Road, where a staggered start will see runners setting off in seeded batched groups to allow for ample social distancing.
All runners will also be required to undergo Covid-19 antigen testing at Cape Town Stadium in the 48 hours prior to the race, before entering the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Expo. Testing will be compulsory regardless of vaccination status, and free of charge.
The 22km and 46km trail runs will also go ahead with a limited field of 1 000 runners.
Runners can also enter the 5km and 10km Virtual Peace Runs.
Sanlam Cape Town Marathon co-founder and ambassador Francois Pienaar said: “The organising team’s gargantuan efforts over the past few months have paid off, and we are poised to stage Africa’s only World Athletics Gold Label marathon and the ASA Marathon Champs in a month’s time.”
Visit www.capetownmarathon.com for more information and to enter. Entries close on Friday.
Cape Times