Welcome
CLARK GARDNER CEO of Sanlam Cape Town Marathon
Welcome to the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon
What a pleasure to welcome all the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon dignitaries , sponsors , participants and residents to this year ’ s event . We have felt privileged to be able to plan and deliver an event with the luxury of relative certainty and simplicity . 2022 is a major milestone for our event as we are assessed for the first of our three-year evaluation period as an Abbott World Marathon Majors candidate . The assessment requirements brought about some major changes to this year ’ s event , two of which include :
• The first elite wheelchair marathon event race in Africa
• A new and very much improved route , designed to cater for a significant increase in capacity , greater incorporations of the city ’ s major landmarks , as well as the goal of mitigating the inconvenience of movement restrictions for our residents
We are incredibly excited about our new route , where the improvements include a start and finish on Helen Suzman Blvd , the use of Nelson Mandela Blvd where the mountain and harbour views are unmatched and the elimination of Buitengracht ’ s infamous bridge crossing . With the city , sponsors , residents , and participants ’ help , we look forward to welcoming Africa ’ s first major in 2025 . This has the potential to attract thousands of tourists each year , and millions more to the screen showcasing this possible major , but also the beautiful city in which it resides .
GEORDIN HILL-LEWIS Cape Town Mayor
It is wonderful to welcome back this event that celebrates our City , its diverse neighbourhoods and rich heritage .
Each year , thousands of athletes and running enthusiasts lace up their running shoes and set off on the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon route , and this year is no different .
The events sector in Cape Town has seen a strong resurgence because of the expertise we demonstrate in hosting large-scale events , which reaffirms the city as an events destination .
All of the hard work and dedication by our City staff is supported by meaningful partnerships which facilitate further growth in this sector . It has been encouraging to see the sector ramping up with many exciting events in recent months and with many more sprinting their way to Cape Town .
I extend a warm welcome to each runner and the supporters who will be cheering them on . On behalf of Cape Town , we wish you good luck as you aim to beat your personal best , while passing some of Cape Town ’ s beautiful sights and attractions .
Personally , I am extremely fond of the communities we have built on the back of this platform , namely Time Trial Tuesdays , Track Thursdays ( in Cape Town and Johannesburg ) and Saturday Long Run . These running activations have been well attended and brought together many like-minded individuals from all different backgrounds and ways of life . I personally made new friends and admired the discipline and resilience of regular participants such as Andrew Cooper and Bruce Arendse . These are two athletes that , despite their personal challenges , are at each community run and perform beyond their years . We will continue to use this platform to build on our communities , bringing people together with a common goal . We greatly appreciate our sponsors ’ support and generosity in activating their services and products at these various events .
A big Thank You has to go out to the City , all Capetonians , and all our sponsors and participants who make this event possible . I too will be joining the participants this year to ensure I get the full experience of our new route and new levels of entertainment . Look out for me in Batch B1 !
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