Frequently Asked Questions
Entries and Registration
Log on to www.howler.co.za
Click on Tickets
Click on ⋮
Click on Edit Registration
Update all information
Click on SUBMIT
Refund Policy
If the event is cancelled by the organiser for any reason, all registered entrants will be entitled to a full refund of their entry fees. The organiser will communicate the cancellation and refund details promptly via email and on the official event website.
Entrants are not required to request refunds; they will be processed proactively.
The organiser will not be responsible for any additional costs incurred by entrants (e.g., travel, accommodation). If rescheduling occurs instead of a full cancellation, entrants will be offered the choice to transfer their entry to the new date or receive a full refund.
In addition:
All 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon entries are non-refundable, non-transferable (no substitutions), and non-deferrable to another event year, regardless of whether the entry was secured through the ballot, a sponsor, or any other entry channel.
The only exception is in the case of pregnancy, where entrants may request a refund or deferral. This applies during pregnancy and up to 8 weeks post-partum.
Please contact raceoffice@capetownmarathon.com if you have any questions regarding this policy.
Please check your Inbox, Spam/Junk mail folder and ALL MAIL (if using Gmail). If you still can't find it contact raceoffice@capetownmarathon.com
Click on this link: https://capetownmarathon.howler.co.za/tickets
You can email us at raceoffice@capetownmarathon.com and we will update it for you.
All 2025 Sponsored Entrants were given the option to defer their entry between the 6th November and 25th November. This is now closed.
The 2026 ballot ran from the 6th to the 25th November, with all final ballot comms announcing both successful and unsuccessful entries being sent on the 28th November. The ballot is now closed.
Sponsored and Ballot entries are non-transferable and cannot be deferred.
Marathon entries remain available via our Charity Partners (https://capetownmarathon.com/charities/) and International Tour Operators (https://capetownmarathon.com/international-entry/) on a first-come first-served basis, until sold out.
Peace Run and Trail Run entries remain available on a first-come first-served basis, until sold out. https://capetownmarathon.howler.co.za/events/sanlam-cape-town-marathon-peace-and-trail-runs-2026-6f9f
Cape Town Marathon Event Details
The 42.2km Sanlam Cape Town Marathon (24 May) has two starts in 2026: The Stadium & Beach Road start. The Stadium start is on Fritz Sonnenberg Road, next to the Stadium, and the Beach Road start is on Beach Road, Mouille Point. Read more here: https://capetownmarathon.com/two-starts/
Your seeding information will indicate which start you are commencing at.
The Peace & Trail Run events (23 May) all start in the Stadium precinct, next to Fritz Sonnenberg Road.
The Finish for all events is on Vlei Road.
Start times TBC
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon events have the following age restrictions for South African runners, as specified by ASA, on the day of the race:
Road events age limits:
42.2km Marathon — 18 years
10km Peace Run — 14 years
5km Peace Run — 9 years
Trail events age limits:
Marathon (43km) — 20 years
Trail 11km & 22km — 18 years
Cut-off times
42.2km Marathon – 6.5 hours
See the route map for details of all cut-off times
Trail Events:
43km Cape Town Trail Marathon – 10 hours
22km Cape Town Trail Run – 5 hours
11km Cape Town Trail Run - 4 hours
Peace Runs:
10km* Peace Run – 2.5 hours
5km Peace Run – 1.5 hours
*10km runners will be diverted to the 5km route if they haven't reached 2.75km by 08h05
The 42.2km Marathon is timed using two systems:
- Gun to mat for elites
- Mat to mat for all other events (net time)
The Trail runs and 10km & 5km Peace Runs are timed on a mat-to-mat basis.
There are 15 Hydration stations on the 42.2km route, approximately 3km apart, 13 of which will have a combination of water, Coke, Coke No Sugar and Powerade, and 2 of which will serve water.
Hydration packs are permitted.
None permitted (of any description).
The event has one standard entry for all, and no temporary or permanent licenses are required.
South African participants are classified as all runners who have a South African ID number.
Athletes residing in Africa (excluding South Africa) with a valid passport.
Prams are allowed on the 5km Peace Run. No race entry is required for the child in the pram.
Marathon Runners Portal
- www.capetownmarathon.com
- Click on LOGIN
- Click on LOST YOUR PASSWORD
- Type in your email address
- Click on GET NEW PASSWORD
- Go to your email account
- Click on the email from SANLAM CAPE TOWN MARATHON
- Open the email, click on the link in the email to reset your password
- Type in new password in the first window
- Type in the same password in the second window (if it says too weak, as long as you are happy with it)
- Click on RESET PASSWORD
- Click on DASHBOARD
This is because the email address is not in the Marathon Portal database, and you need to sign up for the Cape Town Marathon Portal access.
Yes, you may have entered the Cape Town Marathon, but the Marathon Portal is a different form and registration process. You can sign up to the portal without running and entering any one of the Cape Town Marathon events.
Sign up to get access to the Runners Portal
Marathon Photos
If you are Not Registered on the Cape Town Marathon Runners Portal:
Step 1. Register on the Cape Town Marathon website portal (it's not the same system as the Howler Race entry system) - https://capetownmarathon.com/register
Step 2. Fill in the form and add your ID or passport number. Ensure you enter this correctly so that it links to all past results and photos.
Step 3. If your ID number is incorrect or needs to be changed, it must be corrected on the Howler Entry System first. Login to Howler and update your ID here - https://capetownmarathon.howler.co.za/user_setup
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a competition for runners aged 40+ who qualified through the specified pathways during the qualifying window. Runners must register at Abbottwmm.com to receive an invitation.
There are three ways to qualify for the championships.
Full details here.
- Top-ranked athletes from each age group will be invited to the 2026 World Championships when the 2025 rankings season closes.
- If you achieve the 2026 Championship qualifying time for your age group during 2025, you can enter the Championship event shortly after your qualifying result is processed by AbbottWMM
- The AbbottWMM Global Marathon, held within the Global Run Club, has 200 places available for the fastest verified finishers. Visit the Global Run Club for complete details.
The qualifying window for the 2026 Age Group World Championship runs from January 1 2025 to December 31 2025.
However, due to the date of the 2026 event and planning for the 2027 championships, the 2025 rankings will close on September 30th 2025 (with the following rankings period running from October 1st 2025 to September 30th 2026).
Age Group World Championship finishers in 2026 will receive a provisional star from the 2026 event. This will be upgraded to a full star upon successful completion of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon's candidacy.