The 23rd running of the stunning Langebaan Country Estate Weskus Marathon event takes place on Saturday 15 March.
This largest sporting event in the Saldanha Bay area expects a total of nearly 5 000 participants for the 42,2 km full marathon, 21,1 km half-marathon, 10 km and a 5 km fun run/walk. The 42,2 km full marathon is a Comrades qualifier and will act as a last local marathon before the 56 km Two Oceans Ultra Marathon in April.
The full marathon is a one-of-a-kind race in South Africa with 24 buses taking 1 400 athletes early morning from Langebaan Country Estate (LCE) all the way around the Langebaan Lagoon to the starting point at Tzaarsbank on the beach at the Atlantic Coast side. The participants run back to Langebaan through the Park and finish at the LCE driving range. A distinct characteristic of this race is that no cars are allowed during the race inside the West Coast National Park and runners can enjoy the beauty of the West Coast fynbos, the sea and the lagoon while they tackle the undulating route. Close to the end of the race they encounter the scary Black Mamba Hill before they finish on the green lawn of the golf driving range.
The 21,1 km route takes the runners via a beautiful part of Langebaan towards the West Coast National Park, taking a 11 km circular route inside the Park and then back via the Black Mamba Hill on their way to LCE. The 10 km and 5 km routes are mostly within the beautiful Langebaan Country Estate, with all four races finishing on the driving range. Once again, close to 5 000 participants are expected in the four races with around 1 500 expected for each of the marathon and half marathon races.
Langebaan Country Estate is the title sponsor of the event, making its beautiful facilities available for the event, which includes the clubhouse hosting the registration of Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.
Another aspect making this event a special and prestigious event is the total prize money of R100 000 being handed out to the winners of the different races, as well as all category winners. This is made available by the generous sponsorship from Tronox, who came aboard three years ago as a major sponsor of the Weskus Marathon.
From the proceeds of the 2024 event, R100 000 was donated to the Honorary Rangers of the West Coast National Park. Over the past 20 years Weskus Marathon has donated more than R1,2 million to the Honorary Rangers, which is used for infrastructure development inside the West Coast Park and purchasing of new boats and quad bikes to be utilised by the Park Rangers.
All Weskussers are invited to join in the festivities of the day and take on one of these distances. For all the distances you can enter online at www.weskusmarathon.co.za. Take note that entries for the 42,2 km, 21,1 km and 10 km will be taken at registration, but at double the normal price. Entries for the 5 km are taken at normal price at registration at LCE golf clubhouse on Friday 14 March between 16:00 and 20:00 and on Saturday morning 15 March from 04:30 to 07:15. The 5 km starts at 07:45.
More information can be obtained from the website.
