Cape Town - A touch of Carrol Boyes class is being added to this year’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, which takes place tomorrow.
This year’s women’s and men’s winners will each be presented with a custom-made trophy designed by
Carrol Boyes designer Madeleine
Morgan.
The bowl-shaped trophies are made from solid-cast pewter and circling the lower parts of the bowls are reliefs resembling the popular “suurvy” (sour fig) plant, which grows all over the city. Morgan said she wanted the trophy design to reflect Cape Town.
“The sour fig just popped up in my mind because wherever you walk and run in the city, you will see the sour fig,” she said.
Carrol Boyes, one of South Africa’s top functional art brands, was commissioned to make the trophies, which weigh about 2kg. The company was also commissioned to make the trophies for the 2017 event.
“It was a great honour as a Capetonian and artist for my company to be asked to design the trophy for the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon,” said company owner Carrol Boyes.
Morgan is known for her Carrol Boyes Hummingbird range of tableware and cutlery, and was part of the design team that created the trophy for the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa.
She is a prototype and restoration artist as well as a designer, and has an array of talents that include design, sketching and sculpting,.
Morgan said she was happiest when getting her hands dirty and working on new designs.
She found it extremely satisfying to see her work pass through the production stage and then be put on display.
The marathon is a prestigious City event open to elite athletes and social runners.
With more than 20000 runners from all over the world participating last year, the marathon has grown to become one of the most popular running events both locally and internationally.
According to the organiser’s race website, “the fast picturesque route sees you weave through the city centre’s skyscrapers, and will give runners the opportunity to take in some of the city’s most beautiful sights”.
The race first took place in
September 2007 and was organised by Western Province Athletics, under the umbrella of a corporate sponsorship agreement with Athletics South
Africa.
The race has delivered some of the fastest times recorded in South Africa, including Olympic and world championship qualifying times.
For armchair fans who do not have the legs for the race, the marathon will be live-streamed on the website at www.sanlamcapetownmarathon.com.