Running News Daily

Relief for Comrades Marathon runners

The 97th Comrades Marathon — an up run — will be held over 85,91 km between Durban and Pietermaritzburg on June 9.

Runners will feel some relief after receiving a bit of respite from Comrades Marathon organizers, with another adjustment being made to the cut-off times for next week’s ultra-marathon in KwaZulu-Natal.

With cut-off times having caused some controversy after runners were alleged to have been taken off the course earlier than necessary at last year’s race, this latest move announced yesterday would give participants another 10 minutes to reach the last cut-off before the finish.

The cut-off at the 79,1-km mark, at the top of the notorious Polly Shortts climb, had been shifted from 11 hours 10 minutes (11:10:00) to 11:20:00, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) confirmed.

According to organizers, this was “in response to runner requests and ongoing efforts to ensure that participants have the best possible chance of finishing this year’s race”.

This latest announcement followed a decision by the CMA earlier this month to scrap the first cut-off point, at St Johns Avenue in Pinetown, reducing the total cut-off points to five, excluding the finish. Cut-off times were also revised for Winston Park and the halfway point at Drummond.

The 97th Comrades Marathon — an up run — will be held over 85,91 km between Durban and Pietermaritzburg on June 9.

Meanwhile, since 2015, the CMA has been awarding “Winners Jackets” to male and female winners of the race.

The year 2016 saw the retrospective awarding of Winners Jackets to three previous winners at the official Comrades race day prizegiving ceremony; with this becoming a celebratory facet to race week festivities until all surviving former Comrades Marathon winners have been honored with their very own Winners Jackets.

Two remarkable individuals will receive the grand acknowledgement at this year’s Comrades Champions Prizegiving Breakfast on Monday, June 10.

They are Rae Bischoff and Sipho Ngomane, both of whom in their own right have made their mark on The Ultimate Human Race.

In 1998 Bischoff made South Africa proud when she took the women’s title, a long break since 1993, when fellow South African Tilda Tearle was crowned the women’s champion.

Bischoff, a veteran contender during that up run, had Valentina Liakhova close on her heels, with a mere 19 seconds between them. But Bischoff managed to cross the finish line in 6:38:57, taking first position.

Ngomane ran his first Comrades Marathon in 2003. In 2005 — a down run — he surprised the world when he won in 5:27:11, with Oleg Kharitonov close behind.

What made the victory even sweeter is that Ngomane had to run in borrowed shoes after his had been stolen. He was only 23 at the time when he claimed the victory.

Comrades Marathon cut-off times:

Winston Park (Caltex Garage) – 29,6 km in, clock time 4:45:00

Drummond (Halfway) – 42,6 km in, clock time 6:20:00

Cato Ridge (N3 Subway) – 56,6 km in, clock time 8:10:00

Umlaas Road – 67,5 km in, clock time 9:40:00

Mkondeni (Top of Polly Shortts) – 79,1 km in, clock time 11:20:00

Finish line – 85,91 km in, clock time 12:00:00.

(05/30/2024) Views: 428 ⚡AMP
by The Witness