Cape Town Marathon cancelled due to severe winds

Organisers of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon have cancelled the event due to safety concerns.

During the early hours of this morning, runners received a message asking them not to report to the marathon start, as the event would not go ahead.

Marathon organiser Clark Gardner says they are devastated.

“The wind was devastating. We’ve been fighting it since 1:30 a.m. We had tents blown over, a medical tent beam fell, and our road furniture in Woodstock and Salt River was all over the road. It just didn’t make it safe for our participants, volunteers, or staff.”

Gardner added that the event will return next year.

ALSO READ: Runners heartbroken after Cape Town Marathon cancelled at the last minute

‘We share in the disappointment’: JP Smith on marathon cancellation

PRESS RELEASE

2025 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Cancelled Due to Adverse Wind Conditions

Cape Town, South Africa – Due to severe winds overnight that carried on into the early hours of the morning, the 2025 edition of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon unfortunately had to be cancelled at short notice this morning. The decision to cancel was made at 4:45am, and communications to all runners went out at 5am in the form of direct WhatsApp messages to all participants and a dedicated running club captains’ group, as well as statements on social media platforms and statements sent to local radio stations, event media partners and key stakeholders. Around 24,000 runners were due to start the race at 6:15am, and many were already at the venue or on their way into the city when the cancellation was announced.

The winds overnight wreaked havoc in the race venue in Green Point, with marquee tents damaged and branding being ripped off fences and scaffolding, prompting emergency meetings of the race organising team in conjunction with the Joint Operations Committee (JOC), which consists of representatives from the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management and Safety and Security portfolios, as well as medical services and the South African Police Services (SAPS).

Cancelling such a huge event is not an easy decision to make, and Clark Gardner, Chief Executive Officer of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, says “The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is devastated at the cancellation of our very special event. We have worked for months on planning for all scenarios and conditions, but ultimately a bigger force had the final say, and we are so sorry for the situation. We wish to thank our participants, sponsors and stakeholders for their ongoing support and understanding.”

Speaking on behalf of the JOC shortly after the decision to cancel, Colonel Christo Engelbrecht of the SAPS said, “The route is unsafe, as the wind is constantly gusting in Woodstock, and the infrastructure at the start and finish venue has been compromised. It’s unsafe for runners and pedestrians in that whole area, and that’s why the race has had to be cancelled. It was a collective decision made by the whole team in the Joint Operations Committee.”

The Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, echoed the thoughts of the organising team. “All the runners must be disappointed, as are we all. But I’m grateful to the event organisers for taking a decision with runners’ safety in mind after heavy winds blew down some race infrastructure this morning. The City is committed to hosting events of the highest global standards, and that includes sometimes managing difficult calls like this one.