Cape Town - The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, which takes place on Saturday April 23 2011, has increased its prize money for next year’s event by 47% and will see the top male and female runners in the 56km ultra event each take home R250 000 for their efforts.

The new prize money schedule makes it one of the highest paying ultra events in the country and offers top runners an incentive to focus on winning the event in 2011. General manager Rowyn James said, “We want to offer the top athletes an added incentive to focus on running and winning the ultra next year, as well as encouraging them to have a serious attempt at the respective course records, which were set over 20 years ago.”  

James added that while the prize money has always been considered generous, they wanted to take it to the next level in order to attract some of road running’s top names. The second and third place male and female runners will each receive R125 000 and R65 000 respectively. Total prize money on offer for the event is just under R1.5-million. Last year’s first prizewinners received R150 000, second place R75 000 and third R50 000.  

Another exciting change for the event is the new marketing campaign “This is your moMEnt”, with the focus being on the ‘ME’ in ‘moment’.  The campaign centres solely on the runners, as they are responsible for the event’s growth and success since it started 42 years ago.  

“Without the runners’ hard work and dedication this event would not have got to where it is today and this campaign is a tribute to this commitment and effort,” said marketing manager Stefanie Schultzen.

The campaign represents the significance of this prestigious race, which is an impressive, professional event that attracts over 27 000 participants from all over the world, as well as a running institution and real pacesetter on the road running calendar. It focuses on the runners themselves and the amazing stories they have to tell.

Said Joy Khaole, head of Group Sponsorship for title sponsor Old Mutual, “We are thrilled with the new marketing campaign that celebrates the runners as it complements our brand message ‘do great things’. Through this special event we provide runners with the platform to push beyond their boundaries.”

Entries open on Monday November 1 and runners can enter online at www.twooceansmarathon.org.za. Those interested in running the ultra are encouraged to get their qualifying marathon done as soon as they can and to submit their entry. The qualifying window is September 1 2010 to March 16 2011 for the ultra event.  

Entries close on 16 March 2011 or when the 11 000 entry cut off for each distance is reached. Last year over 3 000 participants in the half marathon were turned away and the ultra had just over 9 000 runners.  A limited number of entry forms will be printed and available from the end of November at leading sports shops or on request from the race office.  

The event will also be introducing a new timing system, the RaceTec System (previously known as Winning Time), which will be used for the next five years.  This is the same timing system used by the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour and offers state of the art technology that will make the processing of results and times far easier and more user-friendly.  

Those runners who already have one of these chips can use it for Two Oceans, while those that do not have chips will need to purchase one at a cost of R80.  The chips are usually R110 but the race office will subsidise them by R30. This system is used extensively at various other races around the country, including the 94.7 Cycle Challenge in Johannesburg.