The 2025 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was cancelled early this morning due to severe overnight winds that continued into Sunday morning, causing extensive damage to event infrastructure in Green Point.
The decision was made at 4:45 am, with notifications sent out at 5 am via WhatsApp messages, social media platforms, and official communications to local radio stations, media partners, and key stakeholders.
Around 24,000 runners were expected to start the race at 6:15 am, with many already en route or gathered at the start when the announcement came through.
High winds overnight tore down marquee tents, ripped branding from fences and scaffolding, and compromised parts of the race setup.
The event’s organising team convened an emergency meeting with the Joint Operations Committee (JOC), which includes representatives from the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management, Safety and Security, medical services, and the South African Police Service (SAPS), before taking the final decision to cancel.
“The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is devastated at the cancellation of our very special event,” said Clark Gardner, Chief Executive Officer of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.
“We have worked for months on planning for all scenarios and conditions, but ultimately, a bigger force had the final say. We wish to thank our participants, sponsors, and stakeholders for their ongoing support and understanding.”
Colonel Christo Engelbrecht of SAPS, speaking on behalf of the JOC, confirmed that conditions made the route unsafe.
“The wind is constantly gusting in Woodstock, and the infrastructure at the start and finish venue has been compromised. It’s unsafe for runners and pedestrians in that whole area. It was a collective decision made by the entire Joint Operations Committee.”
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis expressed his sympathy to runners and organisers:
“All the runners must be disappointed, as are we all. But I’m grateful to the event organisers for deciding with runners’ safety in mind after heavy winds blew down some race infrastructure this morning. The City is committed to hosting events of the highest global standards, and that includes sometimes making difficult calls like this one.”
For updates and further information, contact media@capetownmarathon.com
or visit www.capetownmarathon.com
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