Entries opened on Monday (15 September) for the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon (TTOM), one of the world’s most iconic running events, which has officially been confirmed for the weekend of 11 to 12 April 2026.

…confirmation that the race will go ahead and the opening of entries are welcome news for the running community…

The Board of the Two Oceans Marathon NPC recently announced the appointment of Stillwater Sports as the official Staging and Commercial Partner. This partnership will hopefully ensure a world-class race experience for athletes, supporters, and the broader running community after the race was beset with problems in 2025. The future of the event was under serious threat after this year’s event, following a breach of event permit conditions issued by the City of Cape Town. The breach, caused by accepting more entries than permitted, resulted in the City withdrawing its financial support and placing the event’s long-term viability in jeopardy.

Since 2022, the event has suffered from a lack of resources, organisational experience, and repeated disregard for permit requirements. The overselling of entries by close to 1000 participants was the final breach that forced decisive intervention. In response, the City mandated that the Two Oceans Marathon Board secure a reputable, experienced event management company to safeguard the event’s continuation.

The 2025 organising board collapsed amid internal disputes, most notably the Stuart Mann vs Toni Cavanagh case, in which the race director’s CV and competency were questioned. Chairperson Cavanagh and the race sued blogger Mann for defamation, and the case went to court, with Cavanagh eventually losing and stepping down from her position at the TOM event. Mann has since been appointed to the board.

New directors were appointed from Celtics Harriers and Western Province Athletics to reform the board. Chris Goldschmidt was elected as interim chairperson in August to stabilise the situation, unite the board, engage with the City and oversee preparations for the election of a new, fully compliant board at the Annual General Meeting to be held on Thursday, 25 September.

The board invited several leading event companies to pitch for the role of organising the 2026 event. Stillwater Sports emerged as the successful candidate, presenting a compelling proposal that included a profit-sharing model designed to incentivise all stakeholders and ensure the event’s long-term success.

Stillwater Sports brings a proven track record in managing large-scale, mass participation running events across South Africa. The appointment process – from the creation of the new board and Goldschmidt’s interim leadership to the City’s briefing, company pitches, and final decision – was concluded in just seven days.

Going forward, the City of Cape Town requires regular reviews and progress updates to ensure full transparency and compliance in the planning of the 2026 event.

The confirmation that the race will go ahead and the opening of entries are welcome news for the running community, which has loyally supported the Two Oceans Marathon for more than 50 years.

Entry Dates and Ballot System:

• Blue Number Club Runners: Entries open Monday, 15 September.
• Ultra Marathon (56km) – Ballot System
  • Ballot Opens: Wednesday 17 September
  • Ballot Closes: Wednesday 24 September
  • Draw: Thursday, 25 September
• Half Marathon (21.1km) – Ballot System
  • Ballot Opens: Thursday 18 September
  • Ballot Closes: Thursday 25 September
  • Draw: Friday 26 September
• Rest of Africa Runners: Entries open Wednesday, 1 October
• International Runners: Entries open Wednesday 1 October

According to Goldschmidt, the board remains committed to ensuring that the event retains its local focus. “While we welcome international runners to participate, our priority is to ensure that South African runners have fair access to the event.”

For 2026, the ultra field will be capped at 14 000 runners, while the half-marathon will accommodate 17 000 runners.

Key Updates for 2026:

• The board is reviewing alternative venues for the Expo with a mandate to offer streamlined race pack collection and showcase key partners, sponsors, and running industry suppliers. The plan is to move away from Green Point to resolve the congestion issues previously experienced.
• Renewed focus on delivering a world-class runner experience, from registration through to post-race celebrations.
• Exclusive merchandise and official event T-shirts for both the Ultra and Half Marathon, presented in partnership with JOMA.
• Removal of the half-marathon dog leg for an improved race route.
• Additional and better-spaced refreshment stations along both courses.
• The return of the iconic fish horn will officially start the races.
• The batch starts are under review and will be scientifically managed:
  • Only key elites will start up front.
  • Age category contenders will run in a separate batch to ensure fairness and safety.

Goldschmidt concluded: “With the introduction of a professional event company, the board can now focus its energy on the Two Oceans Marathon Initiative, which supports charities and uplifts both the sport and the wider running community.”

READ MORE ON: entries open two-oceans-marathon