By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The organisers of the iconic Sanlam Cape Town Marathon announced the immediate cancellation of the 2025 edition of the event, citing unforeseen operational and safety constraints.
A 10km (six miles) street race and several trail runs linked to the event went ahead on Saturday, but the marathon was cancelled by organisers early on Sunday morning.
The decision was made at 4:45am, and communications to all runners went out at 5am in the form of direct WhatsApp messages and a dedicated running club captains’ group, as well as statements on social media platforms.
Around 24,000 runners were due to start the race at 6:15am, and many were already at the venue or on their way into the city when the cancellation was announced.
The winds overnight wreaked havoc in the race venue in Green Point, with marquee tents damaged and branding being ripped off fences and scaffolding, prompting emergency meetings of the race organising team in conjunction with the Joint Operations Committee (JOC), which consists of representatives from the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management and Safety and Security portfolios, as well as medical services and the South African Police Services (SAPS).
Clark Gardner, Chief Executive Officer of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, says “The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is devastated at the cancellation of our very special event. We have worked for months on planning for all scenarios and conditions, but ultimately a bigger force had the final say, and we are so sorry for the situation. We wish to thank our participants, sponsors and stakeholders for their ongoing support and understanding.”
This marathon has become more than just a local race — it has been an important global destination for runners, and is currently in candidacy to become part of the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors series.
Safety and Security MMC JP Smith said the decision to cancel the Cape Town Marathon was made with safety as the top priority.
“The City of Cape Town extends appreciation to the event organising team, volunteers, service providers, and all those who dedicated countless hours to making this event possible. We would also like to extend commiseration to the thousands of runners who trained for months to be part of this iconic and historic race. We understand the immense effort, anticipation, and emotion that go into an event of this scale and share in the collective disappointment felt across the running community.”
According to past policy for the event, a 100% refund was offered in the event of the organiser cancelling due to extraordinary circumstances (in past years, due to COVID-19).
Organisers have stated they will communicate directly with entrants about refund options and possibly a virtual alternative race. Details are expected to be released within the next 48 hours.