Nedbank Running Club manager and former Comrades Marathon winner, Nick Bester, insists there was no need for the organisers of the Cape Town Marathon to cancel Sunday’s race just over an hour before the start, calling the decision “rushed and embarrassing.”
The 42.2km race, which was due to see 24 000 runners set off from outside Cape Town Stadium in Green Point, was called off at 05:00 on Sunday due to windy conditions.
But Bester says the organisers overreacted and failed to plan properly for the weather, which is typical in Cape Town.
“This is Cape Town, wind is normal here. They should have waited an hour or two instead of panicking. There was clearly no contingency plan,” Bester said.
The South African is aware of several runners who still ‘ran’ the race while the Sea Point Promenade was packed with runners – including the queen of South African distance running, Gerda Steyn.
‘Millions of rands wasted’
Bester argued that millions of rands invested in the event were wasted and suggested that organisers could have improvised to ensure the race went ahead.
“If the medical tent blew away, they could have used the VIP tent instead,” he added.
“We had athletes from all over the world – including Thabang Mosiako and top Ethiopians – ready to run. This decision shows poor judgment.”
He also questioned the consistency of the decision, pointing out that other major races have been held in even harsher conditions.
“The South African Marathon Championships in February had stronger winds, yet the race went ahead,” Bester said.
“This was a panic move, plain and simple. Now runners are crying – they’ve lost money, time, and opportunity.
“The runners are the biggest losers here,” he added.
“The wind has died down now, and the race could have started later. This has damaged the reputation of Cape Town and South Africa.”
‘Safety concerns’
The Cape Town Marathon organisers said the decision was made at 04:45, with notifications sent to participants via WhatsApp at 05:00 just over an hour before the 06:10 wheelchair start.
They cited safety concerns and severe overnight weather as the reasons for the last-minute cancellation.
Bester, however, remains unconvinced, insisting that the world-class event was undone not by the wind, but by poor planning and weak decision-making.
Bester said the cancellation has shattered the Cape Town Marathon’s credibility and cast serious doubt on its ambitions to become a Abbott World Marathon Major.
“I don’t think it will ever happen now,” he said.
“How can people trust organisers who have no contingency plan? This was a complete failure – they’ve damaged the race’s reputation with their arrogance and poor planning.”
