The 2016 Comrades Marathon entry process is upon us. The 91st edition of the world’s biggest and oldest ultra-marathon is all set to be run on Sunday, 29 May 2016.
1 September 2015 is the opening date for entries into the 2016 Comrades Marathon. The entry period will close on 30 November 2015 or as soon as the entry cap of 20,000 has been reached. Prospective entrants are encouraged to get their entries in early to avoid disappointment.
Entry fees for the 2016 Comrades Marathon are as follows:
· Early Bird : R 380.00 (for South African athletes only)
· Local Entries : R 420.00
· Rest of Africa : R 700.00
· International : R2400.00
South African runners will be eligible for the ‘early bird’ entry fee of R380 if their entry is received before 30 September 2015. The regular South African entry fee of R420 will kick in on 1 October 2015 until the entry process is closed.
Entry is free to all runners who have completed the Comrades Marathon 25 times or more.
Runners can enter as follows:
· online via the Comrades Marathon website: www.comrades.com;
· by posting their completed entry form with proof of payment to the CMA Office in Pietermaritzburg: P.O. Box 100621, Scottsville, 3209;
· by handing in their completed entry form together with the original bank deposit slip at the CMA office in Pietermaritzburg.
Entry forms will be available at local running clubs, provincial sporting federations and the CMA; as well as selected qualifying races which the Comrades Team will be attending from September to November.
Qualifying for the 2016 Comrades Marathon will be applicable from 30 August 2015 till 2 May 2016. Runners are advised that the 2015 Comrades Marathon will not be an automatic qualifier for next year’s race.
The Substitution window period will be from 1 – 21 April 2016.
The race starts at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05h30 and ends 12 hours later at the Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban, covering a distance of around 90km.
CMA Race Director, Rowyn James says, ‘We encourage our runners to enter early and to experience the beauty and humbling nature of the world’s greatest ultra-marathon.’