Two Oceans Marathon
The Two Oceans Marathon is a ultramarathon and half-marathon held annually in Cape Town, South Africa with the ultramarathon held on a Saturday in April and the half marathon held the next day on the Sunday. It was previously held on Easter weekend.
Described as "the world's most beautiful marathon", the race is run against a backdrop of spectacular scenery through the Cape Peninsula.
Both races start in Newlands. The Ultra Marathon follows a more or less circular route through Muizenberg, Fish Hoek, over Chapman's Peak, through Hout Bay and Constantia Nek, and eventually finishes at the University of Cape Town campus. On occasions when Chapman's Peak Drive has been closed due to construction or rock falls, the Ultra Marathon has followed an alternative route over Ou Kaapse Weg.
The Half Marathon takes runners along Edinburgh Drive, before turning into forest roads past Kirstenbosch and finishing at the University of Cape Town campus.
Since its inaugural edition in 1970, the event has grown. Selling out every year, the Half Marathon sees some 16,000 participants, while 11,000 athletes tackle the 56 km Ultra Marathon.
In addition to the main events, other events take place:
- Approximately 6 000 runners - including toddlers and young children with their families - take part in various fun runs
- Approximately 1 000 trail runners traverse the trails of the Table Mountain National Park
- International participants get to run a scenic 5 km route along the Sea Point promenade as part of the International Friendship Run