CMA reveals Comrades Marathon distance and cut-offs

The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has announced that the official distance of the 96th Comrades Marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban will be 87.701km, nearly 2.2km shorter than last year’s down run.

“This was determined upon completion of the official route measurement conducted by the CMA’s route portfolio, Department of Transports Road Traffic Inspectorate and Msunduzi Traffic,” said race director Rowyn James.

“It is worth noting that the last time that the race had finished at the HollywoodBets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in 2016, the race distance was 89.208km; the same year in which David Gatebe set the best down run time of 5:18:19.

“Furthermore, when Frith van der Merwe set the still-standing ladies’ best down run time of 5:54:43 in 1989, also at the Kingsmead Cricket Stadium, the distance was 89.6km.

“The difference in distances over the years is mainly due to the roadworks and varying routes taken on the run out of Pietermaritzburg,” James said.

James has also confirmed there are five cut-off points along the route, namely:

• Cato Ridge (04:30:00) at 10:00
• Drummond (06:10:00) at 11:40
• Winston Park (08:10:00) at 13:40
• Pinetown (09:20:00) at 14:50
• Sherwood (11:00:00) at 16:30

James also advised runners to make their way to the start of the race early due to the ongoing roadworks on the N3.

“We ask that all of our athletes make their way to the Pietermaritzburg City Hall early to avoid the traffic congestion and potentially miss the start of the race.”

The 96th Comrades Marathon will be run on June 11, starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05:30 and ending 12 hours later at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban.

It will be the 48th Comrades down run.

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