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Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 2025 Cancelled Due to Dangerous Winds

Posted : 21 October 2025

The 2025 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was cancelled just 90 minutes before the start due to high winds, prioritising runner and staff safety.

The 2025 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was abruptly cancelled just 90 minutes before the scheduled 6:10am start due to dangerously high winds, leaving some 24,000 participants and spectators disappointed.

Despite an almost perfect weekend of events leading up to the marathon, including the Peace Run and Trail Races, the safety of runners and staff remained the top priority for organisers, who had to make the difficult decision in real time.

Early reports of strong winds and damage to the Race Village and infrastructure prompted safety inspections and risk assessments by the Joint Operations Committee (JOC), which included race organisers, city officials, medical personnel, and police.

Wind gusts of up to 60km/h were recorded in multiple locations along the route, causing tents, fencing, and other structures to become hazardous. By 4:45am, structural engineers were unable to certify the safety of key start and finish areas, prompting a unanimous decision by the Safety Committee to cancel the event.

Despite the wind easing slightly by sunrise, organisers emphasised that conditions were still unsafe on parts of the route, particularly in elevated and open areas, and that attempting to delay the start could have created further risks.

Measures to manage runners arriving at the Race Village were implemented, including holding buses at Park and Ride points, but the combination of compromised infrastructure, ongoing gusts, and limited medical access made it impossible to proceed safely. Alternative plans, such as rerouting or delayed starts, were considered but ultimately rejected as unsafe.

Looking ahead, the marathon will move to a May date starting in 2026, a decision aimed at reducing the risk of extreme wind conditions. Sanlam, the title sponsor, announced that all 2025 entrants will receive a sponsored entry for the 2026 or 2027 race, and plans are underway to allow runners to claim their 2025 marathon medals.

Organisers remain committed to achieving Abbott World Marathon Majors status and have been praised for how they handled the unprecedented safety decision.

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