The end of the Two Oceans Marathon?

The City of Cape Town has withdrawn its support for the TotalSports Two Oceans Marathon, citing concerns over the event's management.

This decision follows a breach of the agreed-upon participant limit, with the 2025 half-marathon in April exceeding the permitted runners.

The City issued two permits: 14 000 for the 56km ultra-marathon and 17 000 for the 21km half-marathon.

While there were 13 500 entries for the ultra-marathon, the organisers allowed 20 600 runners to enter the half-marathon and 17 677 of those who entered were official finishers, according to News24.

The over-enrolment led to logistical challenges, including a shortage of medals for finishers. The City emphasised that such breaches compromised participant safety and undermined the extensive planning required for large-scale events.​

The recent breach has prompted the City to initiate formal proceedings against the Two Oceans Marathon NPC, raising concerns about the event's viability in the coming years.​