One Irish runner travelled more than 13 hours to South Africa to take part in Sunday’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, only to arrive at the start line and discover the race had been cancelled.
“I’ve just got down to the start line of the Cape Town Marathon, and it’s been cancelled,” said Sean Hill of Dundalk, Ireland. “Apparently, the wind is too strong and, for safety reasons, they’ve had to call it off.”
An emergency notification was sent to participants just 75 minutes before the race was set to begin. It read:
“Attention: Due to safety reasons, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon has been cancelled. Please DO NOT report to the start, as the event will NOT go ahead. Further updates to come.”
According to organizers, severe overnight winds carried into the early morning, wreaking havoc on the race venue in Cape Town’s Green Point area.
“There were marquee tents damaged, fallen scaffolding and branding ripped off fences,” organizers said in a statement. “We are devastated to cancel something we’ve worked months on, planning for all scenarios and conditions. We are so sorry for the situation and wish to thank our participants, sponsors and stakeholders for their continued support and understanding.”
The windy weather, expected to hit the city on Saturday evening, proved far more destructive than anticipated. By the morning, the site was deemed unsafe to host the 24,000 registered participants. Many runners were already standing at the start line or en route to it when the notification came through.
“I thought surely it was a prank—there are 24,000 people here to do this,” said Hill. “I’m heartbroken… plus the poor carbs that didn’t get used.”
This year’s edition of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon carried some extra significance, as it marked the final year of a multi-year evaluation for potential inclusion as the eighth race in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series. The race has long used the slogan, “Towards Africa’s 1st Major,” and has worked to elevate its elite field, broadcast and organizational standards to meet the required criteria.
Despite the disappointment, many runners chose to make the best of the situation. “It was beautiful to see everyone come together and spread positivity after such an unfortunate event,” said Hill. “I appreciate the organizers for having to make such a difficult decision.”
Just hours after the cancellation, title sponsor Sanlam announced that all 2025 entrants would receive a sponsored entry to either the 2026 or 2027 race.
