The SPAR Women’s Challenge series is back.
Changes to the rules and prizes in the associated SPAR Grand Prix offer local runners massive new financial incentives.
For the first time since 2019, the races will be open to thousands of women in each of the six cities nationwide.
The events were cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19 but in 2021, Spar hosted six races in a limited format.
The event will return to its original format after only six races last year and will again be open to thousands of women runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.
The 5km fun run is back and will be staged alongside the classic SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge.
Former winner, Kesa Molotsane, is thrilled the races are once again open to all.
“The SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge was a brilliant idea, but there is nothing quite like a real SPAR Women’s Challenge event,” she said.
SPAR group’s national sponsorship and events manager Charlene Subbarayan said: “The SPAR Women’s Challenge offers us a way of thanking our customers by providing them with a day of fun and entertainment, with plenty of spot prizes at all the races,” she said.
Subbarayan said they are targeting 70 000 to enter the race.
The president of Athletics South Africa (ASA), James Moloi, said the series gives local athletes the chance to test themselves against international runners.
In the Grand Prix, the first two South Africans across the finish line will win R10 000 and R5 000 respectively. They are eligible to collect the overall prizes as well, starting at R30 000 for a win, R25 000 for second place and R21 000 for third.
The prize pool for the overall Grand Prix has been similarly structured. The winner will receive R200 000, second place R100 000 and the prizes go down to 10th place.
There will also be a separate ‘competition within a competition’ for South African athletes. The five top runners will take home a total of R185 000 in addition to the money they win in the overall Grand Prix. First place will score a handsome R75 000.
The total prize purse across the event is now R1.9m.
This year, a runner’s four best performances in the Grand Prix races will count for points. This means that a runner can miss two races and still be competitive.
The races will be held in Cape Town, Gqeberha, Durban, Mbombela, Tshwane and Johannesburg.
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