The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) launched its 2017 Comrades Marathon campaign in Johannesburg today (Thursday, 18 August 2016). The event attracted the attendance of members of the media, road-running dignitaries, stakeholders, the nation’s top runners, sporting personalities and 2016 Comrades Marathon champions David Gatebe and Charne Bosman.
CMA General Manager, Chris Fisher unveiled the 2017 campaign saying, ‘Last year’s campaign ‘Izokuthoba – It Will Humble You’ was a great success. This year we wanted to come up with a campaign that described the inclusive nature of the biggest and oldest ultra-marathon in the world.’
Fisher adds, ‘A very definitive feature of our race is that it takes not only the commitment and dedication of thousands of people to stage the race, it also demands an enormous amount of discipline and determination from our runners. We debated long and hard and eventually came up with a phrase with a double meaning: ‘It Takes All of You – Zinikele’.’
The 92nd Comrades Marathon will be an up-run on Sunday, 4 June 2017. The race starts at the Durban City Hall at 05h30 and ends 12 hours later at the Scottsville Race Course in Pietermaritzburg, covering a distance of approximately 90km.
The opening date for entries is 1 September 2016. The entry period closes on 30 November 2016 or as soon as the entry cap of 20,000 has been reached. Prospective entrants are encouraged to get their entries in early to avoid disappointment.
Entry fees for the 2017 Comrades Marathon are as follows:
- Local Entries : R 460.00
- Rest of Africa : R 770.00
- International : R2650.00
South African runners will be eligible for the ‘early bird’ entry fee of R420 if their entry is received before 30 September 2016. The regular South African entry fee of R460 will kick in on 1 October 2016 until the entry process closes.
Entry is free to all runners who have completed the Comrades Marathon 25 times or more.
Runners can enter as follows:
- online via the Comrades Marathon website: www.comrades.com;
- by posting their completed entry form with proof of payment to the CMA Office in Pietermaritzburg:
P.O. Box 100621, Scottsville, 3209;
- by handing in their completed entry form together with payment at Comrades House, 18 Connaught Road, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg.
Qualifying for the 2017 Comrades Marathon will be applicable from 27 August 2016 till 1 May 2017. Runners are advised that the 2016 Comrades Marathon will not be an automatic qualifier for next year’s race.
CMA Race Director, Rowyn James says, ‘We have amazing plans in place to ensure a great race day come Sunday, 4 June 2017. We urge our runners to enter early and take advantage of our Early Bird Entry Fee, specifically for South African runners.’
CMA Chairperson, Macdonald Chitja says: ‘We are excited to unveil our 2017 Comrades Marathon campaign here today. Comrades Marathon runners are a unique band of individuals who will attest to the demanding nature of this ultimate human race. We welcome all of our runners, supporters and stakeholders to share in the indomitable Comrades spirit of camaraderie and goodwill on race day on Sunday, 4 June 2017.'
