There is still a chance to enter the Two Oceans Marathon!
Carol warned that not following the proper substitution procedure could have life-threatening consequences, as emergency personnel rely on the accuracy of the information linked to an athlete’s race number.
On 6 January, the Old Mutual Two Oceans organisers released a statement stating that runners who are still hoping to secure their place in the 2017 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon (OMTOM), can now apply for substitution entries.
Substitution entries opened on 11 January and runners who can no longer participate are encouraged to release their entry to another runner before 6 March 2017.
“The substitution entry process provides an important logistical function that contributes to athletes’ safety on race day,” said Carol Vosloo, General Manager of the Two Oceans Marathon NPC.
“Runners withdraw from the Ultra, Half and Trail events for a number of reasons, but it’s not just a small matter of handing your race number over to a friend. Each runner’s personal profile (which includes important medical and emergency information ) is linked to his or her race number, and the substitution process facilitates the linking of a newly-issued number to the new participant.”
Carol warned that not following the proper substitution procedure could have life-threatening consequences, as emergency personnel rely on the accuracy of the information linked to an athlete’s race number.
“We are responsible for the safety of over 28 000 runners, and we urge all athletes to not only follow the proper procedures, but to also take responsibility for their correct personal, emergency and medical information.” Carol said.
The substitution entry process works like this: The withdrawing runner must log into the online system, click the ‘entries’ tab on the left-hand side of their profile summary, and then select the ‘substitute’ button.
A voucher number will be displayed and an email containing this voucher number will be sent. The withdrawing runner needs to forward this voucher number and original race number to the runner who intends to take over this entry.
The original entry fee can not be refunded and withdrawing runners are not allowed to charge more than the entry fee. As Ultra Marathon and Trail Run t-shirts formed part of the entry, these t-shirts will be transferred to the new runner.
Any Half Marathon t-shirts ordered will remain the property of the original entrant, unless they are sold (at face value) to the new entrant. Sizes will remain per the original order.
The new runner must take the voucher number, log into the online entry system and click on ‘substitution’. The withdrawing runner’s original race number must also be captured.
Once the substitution has been validated, the system will prompt the new runner for the cost for a substitution entry, which is R150. However, other costs may still apply, including the compulsory RaceTec timing chip (if the new runner does not already have one).
Runners who substitute for the Ultra Marathon are required to meet the qualification requirements and have a valid 2017 running club licence. Unfortunately, with the high demand for entries, especially for the Half Marathon and Trail Runs, there are individuals who abuse the trust of runners by advertising invalid substitutions.
“We strongly discourage runners from buying entries from third-party reseller sites, and any runner who is unsure of the validity of an entry may contact the Entries Team to confirm the details of the withdrawing runner or substitution voucher number first. Do not be pressured into making any kind of upfront payment without first ensuring that the transaction is valid,” she added.
In an effort to streamline this process, an online notice board has been published on the OMTOM website where withdrawing runners can list their information. The list of available entries was provided online when the substitution process officially kicked off on 9 January 2017.
The deadline for the submission of qualifier, medical and running club details is 6 March 2017. This is particularly important for Ultra Marathon participants, who will forfeit their entry if they fail to submit their qualifying marathon results and 2017 running club information.
For more information, visit www.twooceansmarathon.org.za, contact info@twooceansmarathon.org.za, or call the organisers on 0861 262 326 / 021 799 3040.
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