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Back to the future for Comrades
12/05/2008 13:08 - (SA)
Durban - The Comrades Marathon in 2009 will move back to Sunday, May 24, Athletics South Africa and the Comrades Marathon Association announced on Monday.
This means the 84th Comrades will hopefully see over 12 000 runners line up on the same spot the 34 pioneers of the first race held in 1921 started their historic trip from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
The race has subsequently earned world wide acclaim, and attracted the largest ultra marathon field of 24 000 runners in 2000.
A clash of timing with the 2010 Soccer World Cup - which will commence on June 11 at Soccer City - will see the Comrades move to Sunday, May 30, 2010.
President of Athletics South Africa, Leonard Chuene, explained: "In 2010, we have the World Cup and in 2009, the Confederations Cup is scheduled for June 14-28. The CMA applied for date changes through KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, and in consultation with the relevant local and provincial governments, ASA has approved the new dates."
The 2010 race will start in Durban and will be an up run to the Pietermaritzburg Oval in Alexander Park.
"We are particularly grateful to ASA, KZNA and the municipalities of Msunduzi and eThekwini for making this change possible," said Dave Dixon, chairperson of the Comrades Marathon Association.
The date of the Comrades has changed many times over the years. The 1951 edition was the last on May 24 when Empire day was abolished with the next two being held on the Queen's birthday with the dates of July 13 and 14 in order to avoid the Sunday. The cooler July weather contributed to Wally Hayward's record breaking sub-six hour run in 1953. After another Hayward record on June 12, 1954 the date became 'fixed' on the Union day public holiday of May 31.
From 1961 this became Republic Day in 1961 and apart from Sunday's, this date continued until the holiday was abolished in democratic South Africa when June 16 became race day. Last year, in order to respect and avoid a clash with the commemorations of the 1976 Soweto student uprising and the many other Youth Day celebrations throughout South Africa, the race was held on Sunday, June 17.
This year's race will be run on Sunday, June 15.
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