Organisers of the Comrades Marathon have confirmed details about next year’s ultra-marathon in KwaZulu-Natal.
Here’s all you need to know about the 2025 edition of the race.
Where and when
The race, a ‘down’ run, will be held on Sunday 8 June.
It will start outside Pietermaritzburg City Hall and finish at People’s Park in Durban.
Entry fees
The entry fees will not be increased for the 98th edition of the race.
South African entrants will pay R1 200, participants from other African countries will be charged R2 000 and runners from other continents will pay R4 500.
The Comrades relief fund will assist 1 500 “financially challenged” entrants by offering up to 50% off the race fee for those who qualify for the discount, while the entry fee will be waived for individuals who have run the race 25 times or more.
South African entrants will pay R1 200, participants from other African countries will be charged R2 000 and runners from other continents will pay R4 500.
The Comrades relief fund will assist 1 500 “financially challenged” entrants by offering up to 50% off the race fee for those who qualify for the discount, while the entry fee will be waived for individuals who have run the race 25 times or more.
Entry window
Entries opened on Wednesday (6 November) for green number runners who have completed the race at least 10 times.
For all other runners, entries will open on 13 November and the window will close on 9 December or when the limit of 23 000 runners is reached.
Qualifying window
All runners who enter must achieve a qualifying time over a distance of at least 42km.
The qualifying period, which opened on 10 June this year, will close on 5 May next year.
Qualifying standards can be found on the Comrades Marathon website.
Prize money
Elite athletes will be chasing a record prize purse.
The total purse will be more than R7.6 million, including R874 000 for the men’s and women’s winners, as well as a R550 000 bonus for the winners if they break the ‘down’ run records.
The total purse will be more than R7.6 million, including R874 000 for the men’s and women’s winners, as well as a R550 000 bonus for the winners if they break the ‘down’ run records.
The first South African runners will also receive R220 000.
Still to come
While most details were confirmed at the launch on Wednesday, organisers have said that some info will be released only next year.
Runners will be informed in 2025 about the race distance, which is expected to be approximately 89km.
The final cut-off will be 12 hours, as has become standard, but other cut-offs along the route will be announced closer to the race.
* Featured image courtesy of Engen
