Entries now open for the Comrades Marathon 2015
September 1 marked the first day for entries for the 2015 Comrades Marathon, and athletes are encouraged to register before the closing date.
POLOKWANE – September 1 marked the first day for entries for the 2015 Comrades Marathon, and athletes are encouraged to register before the closing date.
The entry period will close on November 30 or as soon as the special entry cap of 23 000 has been reached.
The Comrades Marathon is regarded as the world’s biggest and oldest ultra-marathon.
One of Pietersburg Road Runners’ athletes, Colinda Potgieter, says the club will register its members as soon as possible to avoid penalties and disappointments.
The 2015 campaign is centered on the Comrades Marathon Association’s vision of an all-inclusive Comrades Marathon, with the slogan: Be Part of It – Bamba Iqhaza.
The 90th edition of the race will be run on Sunday, May 31. The “up-run” will start at the Durban City Hall at 05:30 and end 12 hours later at the Oval Cricket Stadium in Pietermaritzburg, covering a distance of 87km.
Qualifying for the 2015 Comrades Marathon will be applicable from August 1 until May 4. Runners are advised that the 2014 Comrades Marathon will not be an automatic qualifier for next year’s race. The substitution window period will be from April 1 to 21. In a first for South African road-running, R1.5million is up for grabs to the first man and woman who break the current male and female up-run records respectively, making the Comrades Marathon by far the most profitable race on the local athletics scene. Leonid Shvetsov holds the male up-run record of 5:24:27 for his 2008 win. Elena Nurgalieva’s 2006 victory in a time of 6:09:24 stands as the female up-run record. The first man and woman to cross the finish line will receive R375 000 each.
Prospective entrants are encouraged to get their entries in early so as to avoid disappointment. South African runners will be eligible for the “early bird” entry fee of R350 if their entry is received before September 30.
The regular South African fee of R380 will kick-start on October 1 until the entry process is closed.
Entry fees for the 2015 Comrades Marathon are as follows:
• Local entries: R380.
• Rest of Africa: R600.
• International: R2 000.
Runners can enter as follows:
• Online via the Comrades Marathon website: www.comrades.com.
• By posting their completed entry form with proof of payment to the Comrades Marathon Association Office Pietermaritzburg to P. O. Box 100621, Scottsville, 3209.
• By handing in their completed entry form together with payment at the Comrades Marathon Association office in Pietermaritzburg.
Entry forms will be available at local running clubs, provincial sporting federations and the Comrades Marathon Association, as well as selected qualifying races which the Comrades team will be attending from September to November.
