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Cape Town Marathon 2027

Sun 23 May 2027Cape Town42.2 km

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Cape Town Marathon 2027 is on Sun 23 May 2027 in Cape Town, 42.2 km. Follow runners live on livedot.

The course

About the race

The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is an annual city marathon in Cape Town, centred on Green Point and the Cape Town Stadium precinct. In June 2026 the organiser announced that it would join the Abbott World Marathon Majors series in 2027, as the eighth member and the first from Africa.

History

Wikipedia traces the race to 1994, when Celtic Harriers organised it from Mutual Park in Pinelands. Western Province Athletics ran it from 2005 to 2013, and Sanlam became naming-rights sponsor in 2014. In 2017 it became the first marathon in Africa to receive IAAF Gold Label status. The 2020 in-person edition was cancelled because of the pandemic, and the 2025 race was cancelled on race day after severe wind damaged event infrastructure and made the route unsafe. The 2026 race on 24 May produced new course records, according to the organiser.

The course

The current route starts near Cape Town Stadium and heads through the city centre, Woodstock, Salt River, Mowbray and the southern suburbs, then returns through the central city to finish in Green Point. Landmarks on the way include Rondebosch Common, the University of Cape Town area, the Castle of Good Hope, City Hall, St George's Cathedral, the Company's Garden, the V&A Waterfront and the Sea Point Promenade. Around 35 km the route passes the finish area before a 6.43 km out-and-back towards Sea Point, a stretch local runners call the "Loop of Death".

Distances

Alongside the marathon, the race weekend includes 10 km and 5 km Peace Runs and trail events. Wikipedia notes that a trail marathon joined the programme in 2021.

The 2027 edition

The organiser's home page lists the 2027 event for 22 and 23 May and shows entries open, with a charity entry option and a travel programme through official tour operators. The ballot for tour operators closed on 24 June.

Where to watch

The 2026 recap described streets lined with spectators. The route passes the city centre, the Sea Point Promenade and the Green Point finish area, and the organiser publishes a route landmarks page on its site.

Weather

Late May is the start of the Cape Town winter run-in. Wikipedia describes the city's climate as Mediterranean, with winter cold fronts that can bring heavy rain and strong north-westerly winds. The organiser called the weather on 24 May 2026 excellent, but wind has cost the race a full edition, so conditions can vary a lot from year to year.

SourcesCape Town Marathon homeWikipedia: Cape Town MarathonWikipedia: Cape Town (climate)

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