This weekend’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will take a bit of a different route, as the race is evaluated as a candidate for selection to join the Abbott World Marathon Majors, alongside six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world.

The Abbott World Marathon Majors is the premier champion-style competition for marathon runners, founded on the most high profile races in the world, in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York…and Cape Town?

Maybe so: The flagship Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, taking place Sunday 16 October 2022, will be the first year of the race evaluation for the Majors. 

According to a statement by the City of Cape Town, the 2022 edition of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is expecting approximately 18 000 runners from Cape Town, the rest of the country, and the globe.

 “The evaluation process will continue over the next three years and if successful, Cape Town will become part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2025, joining Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York,” the statement said.

 The candidacy comes with a revised route through some of the city’s iconic landmarks and most scenic landscapes, and.

Some notable changes include:

• The start will be moved from Fritz Sonnenberg Road (in front of DHL Stadium) to Helen Suzman Boulevard.
• For the first time ever, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon athletes will be running on the elevated freeway and the N2, to join the Southern Suburbs.  
• Athletes will run through District Six for the first time.
• The revised start means that runners will only pass City Hall in the 2nd half of the race, at the 30km mark.

The revised route will also see traffic interruptions in some areas

• The outbound lanes on Buitengracht Street between Helen Suzman Boulevard and Dock Road will be closed to traffic between 05:30 and 07:30.
• There will also be comprehensive road closures on Long Street from 06:30 until 13:00. No parking will be allowed on Long Street.
• Additionally, the outbound lanes on Nelson Mandela Boulevard between Dock Road and Searle Street will be closed from 04:30 until 09:00.

 The flagship marathon will be preceded by 10km and 5km peace runs as well as the two trail runs on Saturday.

 There will be temporary and rolling road closures in the Green Point and Sea Point areas on Saturday.

 The complete list of road closures is available here:  https://capetownmarathon.com/road-closures/ 

 You can also view the live road closures map on race day here: https://cpt-marathon.herokuapp.com/

 For queries on race day, please contact 021 430 7357 or 021 430 7374 for medical emergencies.

Edited by Nicklaus Kruger