A record field of close to 21 000 runners, including the men’s and women’s defending champions and over 1 000 international runners, will line up in Newlands on Easter Saturday 3 April for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon.
A record field of close to 21 000 runners, including the men’s and women’s defending champions and over 1 000 international runners, will line up in Newlands on Easter Saturday 3 April for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon.
The Cape’s biggest road running event has attracted a field of 8 700 runners in the 56km ultra marathon, making this the second biggest field in the history of the event.
The record stands at 9 766 runners, which was made in 2004 when Chapman’s Peak reopened. The 21.1km has attracted a field of 11 571 runners, which makes it the biggest half marathon in the country.
Last year over 13 221 runners took part in the 21.1km event but race organisers decided to reduce this number for 2010 in the interests of runner safety.
The race will have more than 1 000 international runners taking part and is up on last year’s figure of 868. This figure includes all runners from outside South Africa.
New to this year’s event is the 8km and 18km trail runs, which will take place on Good Friday. The Expo at the Good Hope Centre will also have a record number of exhibitors offering visitors all sorts of interesting stands with everything there is to know about road running and related elements under one roof.
The Two Oceans ultra record holder, St Andrew’s College teacher Frith van der Merwe will be at the race on Saturday.
She will be handing the blue numbers to those runners finishing their thenth Two Oceans ultra. There are 224 runners who will be going for the 10th this year.
Local athlete, Eric Mapara, who runs for Rhodes University will be running his 20th Two oceans this year, and will be awarded his double laurel from Van der Merwe.
Grahamstown runners who have entered for the 2010 Two Oceans 56km Brian Bannatyne, Misty Nish, Barry Podesta, Andrew Slaughter, Clodagh Springer (all Albany Road Runners); Carriot Galela, Richard Hall, Siyabonga Ndumbini, Mickey Ntwanambi, Stephen Penney, Terri-Lynn Penney, Kevin Rafferty (Run/Walk For Life Athletics Club);
Colin Bosch, James Dillon, Jessica Goble, Sylvester Jeffries, Eric Mapara, Curtis Sahd (Rhodes University Athletics Club); Melikhaya Jacobs, Thembinkosi Mdyogolo, Simphiwe Tana, Desmond Witbooi (Nedbank Running Club), Efese Peter (SANDF EP).
Grahamstown runners who have entered for the 2010 Two Oceans 21km Leigh-Ann Jones, Spencer Jones, LieschenJoubert, Rosaan Kruger, Joy-Farai Mika, Liezl Nel (all Albany Road Runners); Richard Alexander, Joubert Retief, John van Onselen (Run/Walk For Life);
Christine Cppinger, Jennifer Coppinger, Megan Cunnama, Caroline Ross, Natalie Ross, Robyn-Leigh Steyn, Sean Swanepoel, Zelda van Onselen, Hayley Jackson, Lindsay Jackson, Sally Price- Smith, Colin Price-Smith, Michelle Rafferty (no club).
