The future of the renowned Two Oceans Marathon is now hanging in the balance after the City of Cape Town decided to pull its sponsorship, citing multiple breaches of conditions by the event organizers.
This marks a significant setback for one of South Africa’s most anticipated races, with the city’s support being crucial for its logistics and safety operations.
Discontent Among Runners Reaches New Heights
As expected, the race drew criticism from participants once again, with many voicing their frustrations on social media.
Runners pointed out numerous issues that marred their race experience, including poor communication before the event, inadequate trail markings, disappointing goodie bags, insufficient water stations, and the most glaring issue – a shortage of medals for finishers.
This year, the race faced even more backlash, a trend that has seemingly been ongoing for years.
False Claims and Mismanagement of Medal Quantities
Race director Hilton Kearns initially claimed that the shortage of medals was due to an overestimation of silver medalists.
However, South African runner and blogger, Stuart Mann, exposed this explanation as false.
Mann delved into the data, revealing that the percentage of silver medallists in the Two Oceans Half Marathon had been consistent at 1.3% for the last three years.
The actual reason for the shortage was that the organizers accepted more participants than the City of Cape Town had authorized.
This failure to adhere to permit conditions further complicated the situation.
Struggling for Sponsorship and Financial Support
Toni Cavanagh, the chairperson of the Two Oceans Marathon, acknowledged the challenges the race has faced in securing enough sponsors since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite receiving support from their headline sponsor, Totalsports, and the entry fees paid by runners, the organizers have admitted that they are falling short of the nearly R27 million needed to organize the event.
This financial shortfall has only added to the mounting pressure on the event’s future.
A History of Criticism and Legal Threats
In an ironic twist, Cavanagh had previously criticized the race organizers on social media for their mishandling of the event in 2023, calling it a “fudging ridiculous” experience.
Now, as the current chairperson, she finds herself in a challenging position, as the race faces legal threats.
A letter demanding the cessation of Mann’s exposé on the event was sent to him by the Two Oceans Marathon NPC and Cavanagh herself.
However, Mann has made it clear that he intends to continue revealing the truth about the race’s mismanagement.
City of Cape Town’s Position and Withdrawal of Support
The City of Cape Town has firmly sided with Mann’s account of events.
In a statement, the city confirmed that after the race on April 6, 2025, it was discovered that the organizers had allowed more participants in the Half Marathon than what was authorized by their permit.
The breach of the permit conditions was a direct violation of the City’s Events By-Law and posed a significant risk to the safety of participants.
As a result, the City decided to withdraw its sponsorship of the event, which included in-kind support in the form of municipal services for race logistics.
A Race Without Sponsorship?
With the loss of its crucial sponsorship from the City of Cape Town, it remains uncertain how the Two Oceans Marathon will proceed in the future.
The event organizers are already struggling with funding, and without the city’s support, it is unclear whether other sponsors will step in to fill the void.
Additionally, the Celtic Harriers club, which founded the race and still receives royalties from the Two Oceans brand, has expressed concern over the race’s future and requested a meeting with the current organizers.
As the situation continues to unfold, the future of the Two Oceans Marathon seems more uncertain than ever.
It remains to be seen whether the race will be able to recover from this setback and continue its legacy as one of South Africa’s most beloved marathon events.