PetroSA Marathon tomorrow
Mossel Bay will be hosting the PetroSA Marathon tomorrow, Saturday 6 October.
This marathon is a highlight of the town's annual Sport and Recreation Festival.
PetroSA has sponsored the marathon for the past 14 years and this year the company is investing R1.2m in the event.
The PetroSA Marathon started out as a small company event for employees and their families. It has grown over the years and now attracts around 800 runners annually, a boon to the local economy and tourism in Mossel Bay and surrounding areas.
A local charity stands to benefit from the event as PetroSA will be donating all the money raised from race entry fees to the chosen charity.
Having evolved into a professional IAAF /AIMS-accredited qualifier for races such as the prestigious Comrades Marathon, the PetroSA Marathon attracts athletes from across the country and the continent.
This year some of the top athletes competing in the field will be SA’s Steven Makoka (winner of the 2018 Cape Town Marathon) and Lloyd Bosman, with Elroy Geland (Eden) and Kenyan athletes, Stephen Kiplagat, Barnabas Kiplagat, Ismael Korir and Ezekiel Rotto.
Leading the women will SA's Nancy Will and Annetjie Botes, with Sila Keitany from Kenya.
The prize money up for grabs is R60 000 and R40 000 respectively for the first and second-placed runners of the open 42,2km race.
Winners and runners-up of the open half-marathon stand to win R10 000 and R8 000 accordingly. Men and women prize winners will be awarded equal prize money per category.
This year the PetroSA Marathon follows a new route for the 42,2km race due to road works on the R102 between Monte Christo and Little Brak River. Details of the new route can be found on the Athletics South West District (ASWD) website, www.aswd. co.za.
The 42,2km marathon starts on 07:00 on Saturday, 6 October from Santos Caravan Park, Mossel Bay, followed by the half-marathon and 10km races in short succession.
For youngsters and the not-quite-so-fit, the fun run will start at 07:30.
Online entries closed at midnight on 1 October, but entries may also done in person on Friday, 5 October between 14:00 and 21:00 at the race start venue at Santos Caravan Park, Mossel Bay.