Men’s course record
2:04:55
Mohamed Esa · 2026
- Average pace
- 2:58 / km
- Terrain-adjusted
- —
Cape Town Marathon
Cape Town, South Africa The fourth Sunday in May: 23 May in 2027 Founded 1994
Out through Woodstock to Claremont, back past the Castle and up through the Gardens, then round Sea Point and home along Beach Road.
Overview
Two start lines sit in Green Point, one beside the stadium on Fritz Sonnenberg Road and one on Beach Road at Mouille Point. The fields merge about 0.4 km in, and everyone finishes on Vlei Road, a few hundred metres from where they began. In between, the course takes in most of the city: the Foreshore, Woodstock and Salt River, then Main Road south through Observatory and Rondebosch to Claremont at 14.0 km.
From Claremont it swings round Rondebosch Common and heads north again, past the Old Biscuit Mill to the Castle of Good Hope at 30.0 km. Then come the Grand Parade, City Hall and the Company's Garden, where the one real climb is. At 35.0 km it comes back past the stadium and turns away from the finish, out through Sea Point on Main Road and back beside the sea. The organiser's own spectator guide calls this the Loop of Death.
On 10 June 2026 the World Marathon Majors confirmed Cape Town as its eighth race and the first in Africa. It runs as a Major for the first time on 23 May 2027.
From Claremont it swings round Rondebosch Common and heads north again, past the Old Biscuit Mill to the Castle of Good Hope at 30.0 km. Then come the Grand Parade, City Hall and the Company's Garden, where the one real climb is. At 35.0 km it comes back past the stadium and turns away from the finish, out through Sea Point on Main Road and back beside the sea. The organiser's own spectator guide calls this the Loop of Death.
On 10 June 2026 the World Marathon Majors confirmed Cape Town as its eighth race and the first in Africa. It runs as a Major for the first time on 23 May 2027.
- When
- The 2027 Cape Town Marathon is on Sunday, 23 May 2027, starting at 8:00am local time on Fritz Sonnenberg Road beside the stadium, or Beach Road, Mouille Point.
- Entry
- Entry to Cape Town is by ballot (ballot closed for 2027; charity and tour-operator places open).
- Field
- The 2026 Cape Town Marathon had a marathon field of 27,000.
- Weather
- Across 31 years, Cape Town's race-day temperature has a median of 15.8 °C.
- Records
- The Cape Town Marathon course records are 2:04:55 (Mohamed Esa, 2026) and 2:22:22 (Glenrose Xaba, 2024).
- Time limit
- Cape Town's time limit is 6 hours 30 minutes.
Marathon Course · every marathon course, measured the same way
Cape Town Marathon
Out through Woodstock to Claremont, back past the Castle and up through the Gardens, then round Sea Point and home along Beach Road. Fritz Sonnenberg Road → Vlei Road, Green Point, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Distance
- 42.2 km
Course map
5 km splits marked · hover or drag the strip below to move along the courseDistance · course line for the 2025 edition, the course run in 2026 · elevation not measured yet
—
0.08.516.925.433.842.3
kmmi — hover or drag the strip
The organiser's profile starts at 11 m beside the stadium and stays between 8 m and 41 m all the way round. In all it gives 215 m of climbing and 209 m of descent.
The early rollers run from about 3.0 km to 10.0 km, over the elevated highway into Woodstock and up Main Road to Groote Schuur. Through the southern suburbs and back to Observatory the road barely changes, and the organiser's chart puts its low point around 25.0 km.
The climb that counts is in the Gardens, from 31.0 km, past the Company's Garden to the high point just after 32.0 km. The organiser calls it the longest and steepest of the day. Long Street takes you straight back down, and the last 10.0 km are mostly downhill to the sea.
Every height on this page is the organiser's: the course isn't measured here yet.
Take it with you
course line for the 2025 edition, the course run in 2026, elevation not measured · marathoncourse.com/marathons/capetown/ · checked 2026-09-25
How to enter: ballot odds
Places for 2027 went by ballot, which closed on 24 June 2026. Results went out two days later. Runners with Candidacy Club points had their own priority window alongside it. Everyone entered for the cancelled 2025 race was offered a free place in 2026 or 2027, paid for by the title sponsor.
What's left is charity and tour-operator places, open since 26 June. The organiser keeps two-thirds of its entries for runners from Africa. Entries can't be transferred, and they're refunded only if the organiser cancels, but a window to defer to 2028 opens nearer the race. The marathon fee isn't listed now that the ballot has closed.
What's left is charity and tour-operator places, open since 26 June. The organiser keeps two-thirds of its entries for runners from Africa. Entries can't be transferred, and they're refunded only if the organiser cancels, but a window to defer to 2028 opens nearer the race. The marathon fee isn't listed now that the ballot has closed.
History
The first Cape Town Marathon started from Mutual Park in Pinelands in February 1994, organised by the Celtic Harriers club. Julian Paul won in 2:26:45. Two years later it hosted the national championship, and Josiah Thugwane's win there got him picked for Atlanta, where he took the Olympic title.
From 2005 it ran in September under the provincial and national federations. The present organisers took over in 2014 and brought in elite fields from abroad. Asefa Mengistu ran 2:08:41 in 2016, the first time under 2:10 here, and in 2017 it became the first race in Africa with an IAAF Gold Label.
In 2021 it was named a candidate for the World Marathon Majors, the first in Africa. It fell short of the criteria in 2022 and 2023 and passed without conditions in 2024. The second assessment was due in October 2025, but overnight gusts wrecked the race village and fencing along the route, and at 4:45am the race was called off with 24,000 entered.
It had already been moved to May for 2026, when the south-easter is less likely. On 24 May 2026 a record 27,000 were entered, and Mohamed Esa won in 2:04:55, the fastest marathon yet run in Africa. Seventeen days later the Majors confirmed Cape Town as their eighth race.
From 2005 it ran in September under the provincial and national federations. The present organisers took over in 2014 and brought in elite fields from abroad. Asefa Mengistu ran 2:08:41 in 2016, the first time under 2:10 here, and in 2017 it became the first race in Africa with an IAAF Gold Label.
In 2021 it was named a candidate for the World Marathon Majors, the first in Africa. It fell short of the criteria in 2022 and 2023 and passed without conditions in 2024. The second assessment was due in October 2025, but overnight gusts wrecked the race village and fencing along the route, and at 4:45am the race was called off with 24,000 entered.
It had already been moved to May for 2026, when the south-easter is less likely. On 24 May 2026 a record 27,000 were entered, and Mohamed Esa won in 2:04:55, the fastest marathon yet run in Africa. Seventeen days later the Majors confirmed Cape Town as their eighth race.
- 1994In February the first race starts from Mutual Park in Pinelands, and Julian Paul wins in 2:26:45
- 1995A new car is offered for a women's time under 2:50. Esme Koopman runs 2:48:46 and claims it
- 1996Josiah Thugwane wins the national championship here in 2:11:46, is picked for Atlanta, and wins Olympic gold
- 2005The race moves to September, run by the provincial and national federations
- 2014New organisers take over, and the 10 km Peace Run joins the weekend
- 2016Asefa Mengistu runs 2:08:41, the first time under 2:10 here
- 2017The first marathon in Africa with an IAAF Gold Label
- 2019Celestine Chepchirchir runs 2:26:44, at the time the fastest by a woman in Africa
- 2020In the pandemic, 43 elite runners race at once in Cape Town, Pretoria and Potchefstroom, with a handicap for altitude
- 2021Named a World Marathon Majors candidate, the first in Africa
- 2022Africa's first top-flight wheelchair race. Vanessa de Souza wins the women's in a photo finish
- 2023The District Six hill comes out of the course, and the start goes back to Fritz Sonnenberg Road
- 2024A clean pass in the Majors assessment, and Glenrose Xaba runs 2:22:22, a South African record
- 2025Called off at 4:45am on race morning, after overnight gusts wreck the race village. 24,000 were entered
- 2026The first May race. Mohamed Esa runs 2:04:55, and Eliud Kipchoge finishes 16th in his first official marathon in Africa
- 2026On 10 June, confirmed as the eighth World Marathon Major and the first in Africa
- 202723 May, the first race as a Major
200020102020
Course records
Pace is derived from the certified distance. Terrain-adjusted figures come from the same model that ranks every course on this site.
Women’s course record
2:22:22
Glenrose Xaba · 2024
- Average pace
- 3:22 / km
- Terrain-adjusted
- —
Race day: start times and cut-offs
- 8:00am
- 3:50pm
- Time limit
- 6h 30m
- 15, about every 3 km
Numbers are collected at the expo at the DHL Stadium, from the Thursday to the Saturday before the race. There's no parking near the race village, and cars left on the route are towed. In 2026 free shuttles ran from the CTICC, the Civic Centre and Thibault Station, with paid ones from Canal Walk and UCT.
The wheelchair race goes at 7:50 and the elite field at 8:00, both from Fritz Sonnenberg Road. Five waves follow, alternating between that start and Beach Road, from 8:10 to 9:06. Late starters are taken off the course. Tog bags go in at your start between 6:30 and 8:30, and have to be collected from the race village by 5:00pm.
There are 15 drinks stations, about 3 km apart, with water, cola and a sports drink; stations 11 and 13 have water only. Headphones of any kind are banned. The clock runs six and a half hours from when the last runner crosses the start mat, and the ten cut-offs along the way run on the same clock.
The wheelchair race goes at 7:50 and the elite field at 8:00, both from Fritz Sonnenberg Road. Five waves follow, alternating between that start and Beach Road, from 8:10 to 9:06. Late starters are taken off the course. Tog bags go in at your start between 6:30 and 8:30, and have to be collected from the race village by 5:00pm.
There are 15 drinks stations, about 3 km apart, with water, cola and a sports drink; stations 11 and 13 have water only. Headphones of any kind are banned. The clock runs six and a half hours from when the last runner crosses the start mat, and the ten cut-offs along the way run on the same clock.
The morning, hour by hour
- 6:30am
- Tog bag drop opens at both starts
- 7:50am
- Wheelchair race, Fritz Sonnenberg Road
- 8:00am
- Elite field, Fritz Sonnenberg Road
- 8:10am
- Wave 1, Fritz Sonnenberg Road
- 8:27am
- Wave 2, Beach Road
- 8:40am
- Wave 3, Fritz Sonnenberg Road
- 8:53am
- Wave 4, Beach Road
- 9:06am
- Wave 5, Fritz Sonnenberg Road
- 3:50pm
- Finish closes
- 5:00pm
- Last tog bag collection
Cut-offs
- 7 km · 7.0 km
- 10:30am
- 11 km · 11.0 km
- 11:05am
- 14 km · 14.0 km
- 11:30am
- 20 km · 20.0 km
- 12:30pm
- 25.5 km · 25.5 km
- 1:20pm
- 30.5 km · 30.5 km
- 2:10pm
- 32.6 km · 32.6 km
- 2:30pm
- 36 km · 36.0 km
- 3:00pm
- 38.7 km · 38.7 km
- 3:20pm
- 41.4 km · 41.4 km
- 3:45pm
- Finish · 42.2 km
- 3:50pm
The organiser's 2026 final instructions. Times for 2027 haven't been published yet. Clock times from the organiser's 2026 table, set from the last runner across the start mat. Anyone cut off rides a shuttle back to the race village.
Race-day weather, 1995–2025
- Median
- 15.8 °C
- Warm years
- 10 of 31
- Wet years
- 3 of 31
Race-day mean temperature, 1995-2025. Lime marks the hottest edition; the coldest and wettest carry a label only, so the colour still means one thing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cape Town a World Marathon Major?
Yes, from 2027. The World Marathon Majors confirmed it on 10 June 2026, after the 2026 race passed the second and last stage of assessment. It's the eighth Major and the first in Africa, and 23 May 2027 is its first race in the series.
Abbott World Marathon Majors and the organiser, June 2026.
Did 2026 finishers get a Majors star?
Yes. Everyone who finished in 2026 was given a provisional star, which the Majors said would be upgraded to a full one.
Abbott World Marathon Majors' Cape Town page.
How hilly is it?
Not very, apart from one climb. The organiser gives 215 m of climbing, between a low of 8 m and a high of 41 m. The climb is through the Gardens from 31.0 km, and it's the longest and steepest of the day. The organiser counts only a kilometre of the whole course as flat.
The organiser's 2026 route profile and spectator guide.
Can I still get a place for 2027?
Only through a charity or a tour operator. The ballot closed on 24 June 2026, and both of those routes opened on 26 June. Places can't be transferred, though a window to defer to 2028 opens nearer the race.
The organiser's 2027 FAQ, checked 25 September 2026.
Why did the race move to May?
Mainly the wind. The organiser moved it for 2026 because the south-easter is less likely in May and it's cooler. Seven months after that was announced, the wind cancelled the October 2025 race on the morning.
The organiser's March 2025 announcement and its account of the cancellation.
What's the weather like on race day?
Mild. On the fourth Sunday in May, the median temperature over the race hours is 15.8 °C across 31 years. The median wind is 10 km/h.
ERA5 race-day climatology, 1995–2025.
Where does the race start?
In Green Point, from one of two starts: Fritz Sonnenberg Road beside the stadium, or Beach Road at Mouille Point. Your seeding says which. Everyone finishes on Vlei Road.
The organiser's 2027 FAQ.
Is it a fast course?
Yes. In 2026 the first ten men all beat the old course record, and Mohamed Esa won in 2:04:55. The women's record is Glenrose Xaba's 2:22:22 from 2024.
The organiser's 2026 race report.
What's the Loop of Death?
The Sea Point out-and-back near the end. At 35.0 km the course passes the stadium, then heads away from the finish along Main Road to the Queens Road circle at 38.7 km and comes back beside the sea.
The organiser's spectator guide and 2026 route map.
How do I get to the start?
Not by car, as there's no parking near the race village. In 2026 free shuttles ran from the CTICC, the Civic Centre and Thibault Station, and paid ones from Canal Walk and UCT. You can also walk or cycle in and leave your bike at the stadium.
The organiser's 2026 transport page and final instructions.
Can a record be set here?
Probably. The start and finish are about 350 m apart, far inside the World Athletics limit. The net-drop test can't be checked without heights, but the organiser's figures have the course climbing slightly more than it descends.
World Athletics Competition Rule 31.21 and the organiser's route profile.
How many people run it?
A record 27,000 entered in 2026, and the race sold out. The organiser counted some 8,500 international entries across the race weekend, from 145 countries.
Organiser figures for the 2026 edition.
What is the weather like on race day?
About 15.8 °C during a typical race: that's the median across 31 years, which have run from 12.9 °C to 22.1 °C. 3 of the 31 were wet.
ERA5 reanalysis for the race date, 1995-2025.
Can I use a time here to qualify for Boston?
Probably. The organiser's own figures have the course climbing 6 m more than it descends, so the B.A.A.'s downhill adjustment has nothing to act on. It's an even course until the Gardens at 31.0 km. Save something for that climb, and for the Sea Point out-and-back after it.
Certification unconfirmed: The first IAAF Gold Label race in Africa, in 2017; its current label and course certificate are not confirmed here.
Sources
Every fact on this page, its source, and the date it was checked · 10
| Fact | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Course line | Third-party GPX of the 2025 edition, which was cancelled on the morning of 19 October 2025. The course run on 24 May 2026 was the same: the organiser's 2026 cut-off points and route landmarks fall on this line within half a kilometre of the distances it gives, and its 2027 pages announce no change. The file measures 42.359 km from 1,436 points; our resampled line measures 42.276 km, so distances on this page run about 0.2 % long. Archived with its hash in data/raw/sources. | 2026-09-25 |
| Elevation | Not measured. No open terrain model covering this course can be published from yet, so there are no heights of our own; every height on this page is the organiser's. | 2026-09-25 |
| Course profile | The organiser's 2026 route profile: start 11 m, highest 41 m, lowest 8 m, 215 m of ascent and 209 m of descent, with the primary climb at 31–32 km and a gradual descent over the last 10 km. Where the high and low points fall is read from its chart. Its spectator guide calls the Gardens climb the longest and steepest of the day. | 2026-09-25 |
| Race-day weather | ERA5 reanalysis via the Open-Meteo archive, 1995–2025 at the stadium start, 08:00–14:00 local, sampled on the fourth Sunday in May. That rule gives both May races, 24 May 2026 and 23 May 2027. Until 2025 the race ran in September or October, so these years describe the May date, not past race days. | 2026-09-25 |
| Course records | Mohamed Esa 2:04:55 (2026) and Glenrose Xaba 2:22:22 (2024), from the organiser's 2026 race report and its history of the race. The 2026 women's winner, Dera Dida, ran 2:23:18. | 2026-09-25 |
| Majors status | Abbott World Marathon Majors: the 2026 race passed the second and final stage of assessment, Cape Town joins as the eighth member, and its first race as a Major is on 23 May 2027. Finishers of 2026 were given a provisional star, to be upgraded to a full one. The organiser announced the result on 10 June 2026. | 2026-09-25 |
| Entry and field | The organiser's 2027 FAQ and entry pages: ballot from 10 to 24 June 2026, charity and tour-operator entries from 26 June, two-thirds of entries kept for African runners. Its January 2026 update gives a sold-out record field of 27,000 for 2026, up from 24,000 entered in 2025; its race preview gives 8,500 international entrants from 145 countries. No finisher count for 2026 is published. | 2026-09-25 |
| Race day | The organiser's 2026 final instructions and race preview: wheelchair race 7:50am, elite 8:00am, five waves from 8:10 to 9:06am across two starts, and a limit of six and a half hours from the last runner across the start mat, which put the close at 3:50pm. Times for 2027 haven't been published. | 2026-09-25 |
| Label | The organiser's history: IAAF Silver Label in 2014 and Gold Label in 2017, the first in Africa. Its current World Athletics label is not confirmed here. | 2026-09-25 |
| Record eligibility | World Athletics Competition Rules, Book C, Part III — Competition Rule 31.21: a record course may lose no more than 1 m per kilometre, and its start and finish may be no more than 21.098 km apart. Cape Town's start and finish are 348 m apart, well inside the second test. The first can't be checked here without heights, though the organiser's own figures have the course climbing 6 m more than it descends. | 2026-09-25 |
Until the Cape Town Marathon · 23 May 2027
— days
— hrs— min— sec
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