The new Green Point Urban Park will host a fun 5 x 4.2km relay at 14h30 on Heritage Day, 24 September 2011, as part of the Cape Town Marathon weekend.

Cape Town Marathon Relay

Western Province Athletics (WPA) introduced the event to help rebuild a road-running relay culture in South Africa and the race is targeted at running clubs, primary and high schools and corporate teams. Each relay team consists of 5 runners. The relay is an ideal opportunity for people who have not entered the marathon or the 10km race, which take place on Sunday 25 September, to participate in the Cape Town Marathon experience.

“The road-running relay race was an immensely popular and successful race category in South Africa and we want to build a fan base for this type of race again. We really want all Capetonians to feel that they can take part in this event. We’d love to have a large field of companies, schools and clubs competing,” says James Evans, the president of WPA.

The 4.2km route starts in the beautiful new Green Point Urban Park and runners set out on the mountain side of the park taking in the Green Point Common and the Cape Town Stadium before heading back on the sea side of the common and finishing in the Green Point Urban Park. The 5 legs of the relay make up 21km which is equivalent to a half marathon.

Enter online on www.wpa.org.za or contact WPA on 021 699 0615. The cost is R50 per team or R10 per person.

The Cape Town Marathon starts in Adderley Street at 06h30 on Sunday 25 September and has an extended 8-hour cut off time to give novice runners the opportunity to complete their first 42.2km race. There is also a 10km race.

The marathon ends in the Green Point Urban Park and is expected to attract quality runners as it is the only South African Olympic qualifier for London 2012. It is also a qualifier for the 2012 Comrades and Old Mutual Two Oceans marathons.