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Cape Town Marathon Cancelled After Wind Damage, Sponsor Offers Future Entries as Race Moves to May

Safety authorities said wind damage made the course unsafe, prompting sponsor‑paid entries for affected runners.

Overview

  • Organisers and the Joint Operations Committee cancelled the 19 October race at 04:45 and notified participants at 05:00, about 90 minutes before the planned 06:15 start.
  • SAPS and city safety officials deemed sections of the route unsafe, with Woodstock and the start/finish areas experiencing hazardous gusts and a structural engineer unable to certify key installations.
  • Overnight winds damaged race infrastructure, including fencing, signage and scaffolding, and compromised medical facilities such as the main finish-line tent required for race start.
  • Entries will not be refunded or rolled over under event policy, but title sponsor Sanlam will fund a sponsored entry for every 2025 entrant to run in 2026 or 2027.
  • Organisers have shifted the next Cape Town Marathon to May to avoid the windiest period, WMM leaders plan further engagement and evaluation then, and Woolworths redirected race-day food to charities.