MEDIA RELEASE
NO. 653 / 2010
08 SEPTEMBER 2010



This month the City of Cape Town and Western Province Athletics will co-host the Cape Town Marathon for the fourth consecutive year. The race is an important event on the local and international running calendar and will take place on Sunday 26 September.

The Cape Town Marathon is the only marathon in the country to start and finish on city roads, and the City is working hard to position it as one of the greatest and most popular city marathons in the world.

The event consists of three different races through Cape Town: a full 42 km marathon, a 10 km run and a 4.2 km mini-marathon. Participants who pre-enter will be allocated a race number and entrance fee is R100.00 for the 42 km marathon and R25.00 for the 10 km run. The mini-marathon, which is for junior runners, is free by invitation. Temporary licences are available for non-club members at a cost of R20.00.

Western Province Athletics designed the course, which is mainly flat. This serves to encourage participation from those outside the athletic fraternity, while also assisting top athletes in achieving good finishing times. The cut-off time for the full marathon is eight hours, and two hours for the 10km race, so both can be completed at walking pace for less experienced competitors. Prize money will be awarded to the value of R100 000, including a first-place prize in the 42 km marathon of R15 000.

The 42 km marathon route starts in Adderley Street opposite the Cape Town Station and then heads towards Rondebosch via Main Road. At the Fountains Centre in Rondebosch, runners will head towards the Common, before running along Klipfontein Road in the direction of Athlone. From here, the race will take runners along Jan Smuts Drive, before passing through Pinelands and heading back to the city centre. It will continue through to the V&A Waterfront towards the Green Point Common and Sea Point. Runners will finally turn around at Milton Beach and head back towards the city centre, running down the World Cup fan walk before finishing in front of the City Hall balcony.

The City has ensured that this route includes areas of historical and cultural interest in neighbouring communities. “We want to not only celebrate Cape Town’s rich diversity, but also encourage the surrounding communities to participate in the event as either runners or spectators. We hope that Capetonians will come out in full support of the runners. We want Capetonians to enjoy this event, which provides a fantastic opportunity for locals to highlight the culture in their communities by song, dance, poetry, or other forms of entertainment,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services, Councillor Brett Herron.

Details are as follows:

The 42 km marathon and 10 km run
Date: Sunday 26 September
Time: 06:30
Venue: Starts in Adderley Street (opposite Cape Town Station) and finishes in Darling Street (in front of the City Hall)

The 4.2 km mini-marathon
Date: Sunday 26 September 2010
Time: 07:45
Venue: Starts close to the Sea Point Library/Civic Centre and will finish in Darling Street (in front of the City Hall)

Entries close on 17 September, but late entries will be taken at number collection on 24 and 25 September, between 10:00 and 18:00, at the Mouille Point Lighthouse and entry forms are available via e-mail to sue@wpathletics.co.za, or online at: www.capetownmarathon.org.za or www.wpa.org.za


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ISSUED BY:
LISLE BROWN
MEDIA LIAISON OFFICER
CITY OF CAPE TOWN
TEL: 021-400-3065 CELL: 084 888 1901

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
GERT BAM, DIRECTOR
SPORT, RECREATION AND AMENITIES
TEL: 021 400 5090 CELL: 084 222 1242

JAMES EVANS
CELL: 083 291 6963 JTEVANS@MWEB.CO.ZA