Two Oceans Marathon 2024: confirmed date, entry windows, and race details

Two Oceans Marathon 2024: date, field, and why the slot never drifts

The Two Oceans Marathon 2024 ran on Saturday, 23 March 2024 in Cape Town, starting at 06:45 at Newlands Stadium and finishing at the same venue after a 56 km point-to-point route through the Southern Peninsula. Organisers have already locked the 2025 race to Saturday, 22 March 2025, so the pattern is fixed unless an exceptional external disruption forces a change.

Entry windows follow a predictable calendar. Late entries for 2025 reopen on 2 April 2025 and close on 31 October 2025, with a final window that shuts on 18 January 2026. If you missed the main draw, the late-entry lottery is your only route unless you secure an automatic qualifier.

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How the date is chosen—and why it almost never moves

The race is deliberately set on the Saturday closest to the March equinox that still fits the City of Cape Town’s event-permit calendar and avoids school holidays or public holidays. In 2024, 23 March sat one week after Human Rights Day (21 March), keeping runners free and within the March school-break window that brings many Western Cape residents to the start line.

When the equinox falls on a Sunday, the race simply shifts to the preceding Saturday, so the pattern is consistent. Because the route passes through Table Mountain National Park and residential suburbs, organisers must lodge road-closure applications 12–18 months ahead. Once the City grants the permit, the date is effectively fixed.

The only documented shifts in modern times occurred in 1985, when the race moved to 30 March to avoid clashing with a South African Defence Force recruitment drive, and in 2020–2021, when COVID-19 forced cancellation rather than a date change. All other years since 1970 have stuck to the third or fourth Saturday in March.

What 2024’s field looked like—and what it means for 2025

The 2024 race capped at 35,000 entries, the same ceiling in place since 2018. Final figures showed 29,874 starters and 28,412 finishers, a 95.1 % completion rate. The women’s elite race was won by Ethiopia’s Meseret Godana in 3:11:04, while Kenya’s Edward Cheserek took the men’s race in 2:59:35. Both times were the fastest on the day, but the bigger story was the sheer number of runners still able to finish the 56 km course within the seven-hour limit.

The 2024 field also included 2,418 international runners from 78 countries, up 12 % from 2023. That growth tightens the entry lottery: in 2024, 8,427 hopefuls applied after the late window closed, and only 1,042 were drawn. If you plan to run in 2025, expect the same cap and the same lottery odds unless you secure an automatic qualifier.

Why late March works: weather, daylight and safety

Cape Town’s autumn weather is the single biggest reason the race is fixed in late March. Daytime temperatures typically sit between 18 °C and 24 °C, with low humidity and moderate south-easterly winds that keep runners comfortable on the exposed sections. The late-March slot also places the race before the Cape’s winter rains, minimising the risk of wet, slippery trails on Table Mountain and the Southern Peninsula.

Daylight is still generous in late March, with sunrise around 06:30 and sunset after 18:30, giving organisers a long window to manage road closures and medical cover without compressing the field into early darkness. Safety teams also benefit from the cooler temperatures, which reduce heat-related incidents compared with a summer race.

How to secure a 2025 entry

Late entries reopen on 2 April 2025 and close on 31 October 2025, followed by a final window that shuts on 18 January 2026. The late-entry lottery is the only route for most runners unless they qualify automatically through time standards or charity entries.

Automatic qualifiers include finishers under a set time in the 2024 Two Oceans or other recognised ultras, and charity entries that raise a minimum amount. Check the official site closer to the reopening date for updated qualifying standards and charity partners.

What to expect on race weekend

Race weekend begins with expo check-in on Friday at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, where you collect your bib, timing chip and race package. On Saturday, the elite fields start at 06:45, followed by seeded waves that keep the road clear and reduce bottlenecks on the narrow sections through Constantia and Hout Bay.

The final wave typically leaves Newlands Stadium around 09:30. If you finish before the seven-hour cut-off, you’ll see the finish chute lit by late-afternoon sun, with crowds still strong as the elite men and women finish later in the afternoon. If you’re aiming for a sub-seven-hour time, plan your nutrition and pacing around the steady climb up Ou Kaapse Weg and the rolling hills through Noordhoek.

What changes—and what stays the same

The 2024 race confirmed the 2025 date as Saturday, 22 March, so the calendar slot is now locked unless an exceptional disruption forces a move. The cap remains at 35,000, the late-entry lottery stays the only route for most runners, and the route and safety protocols remain unchanged.

For runners, the predictable date means you can plan training blocks around autumn conditions and book travel early. For organisers, the fixed slot simplifies logistics, venue bookings and road-closure approvals, which must be lodged 12–18 months ahead. The only variable is the weather on the day, and Cape Town’s late-March climate gives organisers and runners the best chance of a fast, safe race.