The 32nd edition of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, scheduled for today, has been cancelled due to severe wind conditions, organisers announced early this morning.
The decision was made at approximately 04:45 following emergency consultations between race officials and safety authorities. The cancellation affects approximately 24 000 registered participants.
Overnight winds caused significant damage to race infrastructure at the Green Point venue, with marquee tents destroyed and promotional materials torn from fences and scaffolding. The extent of the damage prompted urgent meetings between the race organising team and the Joint Operations Committee (JOC).
The JOC comprises representatives from the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management and Safety and Security departments, medical services, and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Clark Gardner, Chief Executive Officer of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, expressed the organisation’s disappointment in a press statement.
“We are devastated,” Gardner said. “We have worked for months planning for all scenarios and conditions, but ultimately a bigger force had the final say, and we are so sorry for the situation.”
Gardner thanked participants, sponsors, and stakeholders for their “ongoing support and understanding” during this unprecedented situation.
Colonel Christo Engelbrecht, police spokesperson for the JOC, explained the safety rationale behind the cancellation decision.
“The route is unsafe, as the wind is constantly gusting in Woodstock, and the infrastructure at the start and finish venue has been compromised,” Engelbrecht said. “It’s unsafe for runners and pedestrians in that whole area, and that’s why the race has had to be cancelled.”
JP Smith, the city’s Mayco member for safety and security, said: “We would like to extend commiseration to the thousands of runners who trained for months to be part of this iconic and historic race.
Smith said safety is their top priority.
“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.”
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