The 53rd edition of the Two Oceans Marathon is almost here. Approximately 29 000 runners are expected to take on the Two Oceans Marathon’s ultra and half marathons this weekend. Several roads will be closed in the city and motorists are advised to use alternative routes.
53rd edition of the Two Oceans Marathon
The weekend of road running activities will get underway with the ultramarathon on Saturday, 15 April 2023 for the 56km race. This will take athletes from Newlands to Fish Hoek and over Chapman’s Peak before finishing off at the University of Cape Town.
MORE ABOUT: Previous marathons
Sunday will be an opportunity for the half marathon enthusiasts to experience the scenic beauty of the Mother City, Cape Town’s boisterous spectators and a lively atmosphere.
Among them will be two of the City of Cape Town’s own firefighters Jermaine Carelse and Renaldo Duncan who will take on the half marathon in their fire gear to drum up support (and donations) for the Volunteer Wildfire Service.
‘In 2022, despite Covid-19 restrictions, more than half of the runners were from outside Cape Town, including athletes representing 53 countries. This illustrates how this race remains one of the premier marathons not just for South African athletes but across the globe. ‘This year, the race organisers are expecting over 2 200 African and international runners to participate. This of course is a major positive for Cape Town’s economy because a lot of these runners book accommodation, transport and support local businesses. Our responsibility is to ensure that we provide a safe route for these athletes to have a memorable race,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
The City will deploy around 1 000 personnel along the route to ensure both races proceed without a hitch.
Expo
The Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon Expo takes place from 13 – 15 April at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. This gives sports enthusiasts and athletes the opportunity to catch up on all things new and innovative in the sports scene while collecting their race packs.
‘The City of Cape Town is really proud to be a partner in the Two Oceans Marathon. What we have seen with the Expo is that scores of local suppliers have the opportunity to exhibit their products and promote their businesses to thousands of potential customers during the three-day Expo. This is just one of the many benefits the Two Oceans Marathon provides to our economy and local businesses. Additionally, the Two Oceans also creates over 2 000 permanent and temporary jobs annually. It also provides work opportunities for suppliers in the events value chain who assist with branding, building structures, security, catering and logistics,’ said Councillor Nqavashe.
A Wesgro and UCT study published as peer-reviewed research in academic journals found that the Two Oceans generates up to R672 million to the Cape Town and greater Western Cape economy annually.
Peer-reviewed research
Two Oceans Race Director, Hilton Kearns said, ‘As we declare ourselves race ready to host the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town, the most beautiful city in the world and the World’s Leading Festival and Event Destination for 2018, 2020 and 2021, as voted for by the World Travel Awards, we thank the City for its colossal support on several fronts as a key partner and stakeholder. We look forward to seeing the fruits of months of working closely with the City culminate in an event which we can all be very proud of.’
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Residents and motorists are reminded of road closures and restrictions in the Southern Suburbs and the Cape Peninsula during the early hours on Saturday, 15 April and Sunday, 16 April 2023.
