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Cape Town - Close to 21 000 runners are expected to line up for the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon on Easter Saturday, April 3.
Entries are well up on last year with just under 9 000 runners taking on the 56km ultra event. The half marathon has attracted a field of just over 11 600 participants and entries closed nearly a month before the official closing date.
Said Rowyn James, race director: “We are delighted to have again attracted a record field as we celebrate the event’s 41st anniversary. These record figures show that interest in road running, and even ultra events, is still high, which is good for the sport in general and many road races have seen a marked increase in numbers this year.”
This year sees Western Province again recording the biggest overall contingent of runners taking part in both events with 8 529 participants which is 41.7% of the total field. Next is Gauteng with 5 279 runners in both events and is 25.8% of the whole field.
Other interesting statistics include the following:
· Administrative entries constitute 20.2% of the total entries received, which means that 79.8% of all the entries received entered online.
· 1 107 runners or 5.4% of the total field will be coming from outside the borders of South Africa. 207 runners are coming from Germany, 201 from the UK and 108 from USA.
· 73 runners will get their light blue number for completing 10 half marathons. 72 runners participating in the 21km have their light blue number already.
· 224 runners will get their blue number for completing 10 ultras. 1 094 runners participating in the 56km have their blue number already.
· 37% of the field (7 556 runners) purchased a ChampionChip, which potentially indicates that it is the first time that they are participating in the race.
· In the 56km, 74% of the field are men and 26% are women. 34% of the ultra field will be doing the race for the first time. 67% of the ultra field comes from outside of the Western Cape.
· In the 21km, 50% of the field are men and 50% are women. Just over half the field (51%) are novices and will be doing the race for the first time. 42% of this total field comes from outside of the Western Cape. 51% will be running in a temporary license i.e. are not a member of a club.
· 22 runners in the 21km and 31 runners in the 56km will celebrate their birthday on race day.
· The three biggest Western Province clubs entries come from Varsity Old Boys with 428 runners, Celtic Harriers with 248 runners and Durbanville with 187 runners in both races combined. Rand Athletic Club from Gauteng has 352 entries for both races.
· Of last year’s top 10 men in the 56km, eight have re-entered. In the women’s race, all of the top 10 women from last year have re-entered. The Nurgalieva twins have confirmed their entries for 2010 and the men’s defending champion, John Wachira, will be lining up on race day.
· In the 21km, three of last year's top 10 in the men have re-entered. Stephen Mokoka will not be back to defend his title. In the women’s race, five of last year’s top 10 have entered, but last year’s winner and course record holder Helalia Johannes has not entered. Other names to watch are Rene Kalmer and Irvette van Blerk.
Entries are well up on last year with just under 9 000 runners taking on the 56km ultra event. The half marathon has attracted a field of just over 11 600 participants and entries closed nearly a month before the official closing date.
Said Rowyn James, race director: “We are delighted to have again attracted a record field as we celebrate the event’s 41st anniversary. These record figures show that interest in road running, and even ultra events, is still high, which is good for the sport in general and many road races have seen a marked increase in numbers this year.”
This year sees Western Province again recording the biggest overall contingent of runners taking part in both events with 8 529 participants which is 41.7% of the total field. Next is Gauteng with 5 279 runners in both events and is 25.8% of the whole field.
Other interesting statistics include the following:
· Administrative entries constitute 20.2% of the total entries received, which means that 79.8% of all the entries received entered online.
· 1 107 runners or 5.4% of the total field will be coming from outside the borders of South Africa. 207 runners are coming from Germany, 201 from the UK and 108 from USA.
· 73 runners will get their light blue number for completing 10 half marathons. 72 runners participating in the 21km have their light blue number already.
· 224 runners will get their blue number for completing 10 ultras. 1 094 runners participating in the 56km have their blue number already.
· 37% of the field (7 556 runners) purchased a ChampionChip, which potentially indicates that it is the first time that they are participating in the race.
· In the 56km, 74% of the field are men and 26% are women. 34% of the ultra field will be doing the race for the first time. 67% of the ultra field comes from outside of the Western Cape.
· In the 21km, 50% of the field are men and 50% are women. Just over half the field (51%) are novices and will be doing the race for the first time. 42% of this total field comes from outside of the Western Cape. 51% will be running in a temporary license i.e. are not a member of a club.
· 22 runners in the 21km and 31 runners in the 56km will celebrate their birthday on race day.
· The three biggest Western Province clubs entries come from Varsity Old Boys with 428 runners, Celtic Harriers with 248 runners and Durbanville with 187 runners in both races combined. Rand Athletic Club from Gauteng has 352 entries for both races.
· Of last year’s top 10 men in the 56km, eight have re-entered. In the women’s race, all of the top 10 women from last year have re-entered. The Nurgalieva twins have confirmed their entries for 2010 and the men’s defending champion, John Wachira, will be lining up on race day.
· In the 21km, three of last year's top 10 in the men have re-entered. Stephen Mokoka will not be back to defend his title. In the women’s race, five of last year’s top 10 have entered, but last year’s winner and course record holder Helalia Johannes has not entered. Other names to watch are Rene Kalmer and Irvette van Blerk.
