5 March 2008
The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, which takes place on 22 March, has drawn 6 693 participants for the 56 kilometre ultra-marathon, while the half-marathon has attracted 11 218 entries, which is a record field for the race and makes it the biggest half-marathon in South Africa.
Interestingly, almost half the entries received for the half-marathon - 5 321 - have come from novices. More than half the field - 6 352 people - do not belong to a club and have taken out temporary licences so they can take part in the race.
The ultra's numbers are over 3 000 down over the peak of 9 767 achieved in 2004, but the reduction in the 56 kilometre event's numbers has been almost equally matched by the increased interest in the half-marathon.
Numbers stabilized
Numbers since 2004 have stabilized around the 17 000 to 18 000 mark, but there is a shift towards the half-marathon, which is the event of choice for female
entrants. They make up 45% of the half-marathon field, compared to 24% of the ultra's entry.
Despite the increasing popularity of the half-marathon, however, it is the ultra that remains the glamour event.
Both the men's and women's defending champions, South Africa's Bethuel Netshifhefhe and Russia's Madina Biktagirova, will return to defend their titles.
First SA victory since 2003
Netshifhefhe's win in 2007 marked the first time a South African had won the event since 2003, when Mluleki Nobanda claimed victory.
It brought to an end a run of three wins in succession for Zimbabweans, with Marco Mambo winning back-to-back titles in 2004 and 2005, and Moses Njodzi winning in 2006.
1996 Olympic Marathon champion Josiah Thugwane showed he is still a force to be reckoned with by claiming second place ahead of Zimbabwe's Hatiwane Nyamande, who ended in third.
Competition for the 2008 title is sure to be extremely stiff, with all 10 gold medallists from 2007 having entered the race.
2007 women's winner
Biktagirova's victory in the women's ultra was somewhat surprising - despite her fine pedigree in marathons - given that it was her first ultra-marathon.
Her winning time was 3:35:11, the second fastest women's winning time in the history of the event, but still well outside Frith van der Merwe's incredible record of 3:30:36, set in 1989.
A number of the leading challengers will be aiming for milestones in 2008. If Marco Mambo and Yelena Nurgalieva, both two-time winners, take victory for a third time, they will receive a permanent blue number.
Three runners in the men's race, Honest Mutsakani (2001 winner), Simon Mphulanyane (2002 winner) and Brian Zondi will be chasing a fifth gold medal.
Most Two Oceans runs
Noel Stamper, who ran in the first ever Two Oceans Marathon, then known as the Celtic 35-Mile Road
Race, and chose not to finish it because of the poor weather conditions and his lacking of training, will be taking part in the event for the 38th time. He holds the record for having run the most Two Oceans' ultras.
The 2008 event has drawn a sizeable entry from overseas. Germany has the greatest representation with 178 athletes (56km - 124 runners, 21km - 54 runners), followed by the United Kingdom (146), United States of America (80), Namibia (72), and the Netherlands (49).
A number of fun events will precede the ultra and half marathons on 22 March, with five events taking place at the University of Cape Town rugby fields on 21 March:
The 56 metre Nappy Dash: for children aged three and younger (who must be able to walk)
The 300 metres Toddlers' Trot: for children from ages four to six
The 2.5 kilometre run/walk: for the young, the old, and not so fit
The 5 kilometre run/walk: for the fitter and more adventurous
runner/walker
The 8 kilometre run/walk: for regular runners and walkers.
SAinfo reporter and Two Oceans Marathon
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