Two Oceans Marathon athletes get ready to hit the road

One of the most exciting weeks in South African road running has arrived with the 53rd edition of Two Oceans taking place this weekend. The opening of the race Expo at the CTICC signals the fever pitch for the world’s most beautiful marathon.

Approximately 29 000 runners are expected to take on the Two Oceans Marathon’s ultra and half marathons this weekend. 

The weekend of road running activities will get underway with the ultramarathon on Saturday, 15 April 2023 for the 56km race, will take athletes from Newlands to Fish Hoek and over Chapman’s Peak before finishing off at the University of Cape Town. 

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. 

‘According to City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith this year, the race organisers are expecting over 2 200 African and international runners to participate. This 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.’

The City will deploy around 1 000 personnel along the route to ensure both races proceed without a hitch.

The lineup will start in Newlands on the corner of Main Road and Dean Street and finish on the University of Cape Town’s rugby fields, upper campus in Rondebosch.