By Brad Morgan
THERE is big money on offer in the 2003 City-to-City Heritage Marathon, which will be run on 7 September between the World Cup cricket grounds of Supersport Park in Centurion and The Wanderers in Johannesburg. A field that is estimated to be anywhere from 6 000 to 10 000 strong will compete for R500 000 in prize money.
The big boost in prize money comes from the black empowerment consortium New Africa Investments Limited (Nail). Gauteng MEC for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Mondli Gungubele was the man with the plan, approaching Nail to support the event after some less-than-impressive fields in recent years. The investment group's total sponsorship amounts to R1.5-million for the staging of the race and the prize fund.
The organisers are aiming high, saying they want to establish the race as the "most prestigious inland ultra-marathon in the world". Nail chief executive Aggrey Klaaste commented: "We want to turn the marathon into something profoundly South African, away from just another marathon on the calendar."
The hugely improved prize money will certainly help. The first place prizes for men and women have increased by 275%, up from R20 000 in 2002 to R55 000 in 2003. There is R30 000 on offer for second-place finishers and R20 000 for third-placers.
In addition, a R15 000 bonus is up for grabs for anyone managing to break the course records. The men's best belongs to Ben Cheou, who covered the distance in two hours, 46 minutes and eight seconds in 1982, while Frith van der Merwe has the women's record with a clocking of three hours, four minutes and 30 seconds in 1989, the same year in which she cracked the six-hour barrier in the Comrades Marathon.
Speaking of the Comrades, it is worth mentioning that the City-to-City Marathon is a qualifier for the Pietermaritzburg-to-Durban classic, as well as for the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town.
Some big name African competitors are expected to contest the race on Saturday, with organisers inviting them to take part. Naturally, the big boost in prize money should be very persuasive in getting them to compete. The marathon, first run in 1936 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, has been on the sporting calendar for 67 years, and forms part of Heritage Month, the annual celebration of the achievements of South Africans.
With options of a 20km walk and a 20km halfway run from Midrand, the City-to-City race has grown from 4 500 participants in 1936 to an expected 10 000 this year. The walk and 20km run will start at 6am and 6.10am respectively from Old Pretoria Road, Midrand, Route 101. The marathon starts at 6am at Supersport Park in Centurion.
