Peninsula Marathon — a last-chance qualifier for Two Oceans Ultra

Mark Ward

The Mother City’s main road linking Cape Town and Simon’s Town was transformed into a theatre of blood, sweat, tears, pain, and celebration on Sunday, as several hundred runners competed in the Peninsula Marathon, in a final bid to secure qualification for the iconic Two Oceans Ultra-Marathon in April.

With the Cape Town Marathon having been cancelled in October due to severe weather conditions, the Peninsula Marathon became the decisive last opportunity for local and upcountry runners chasing a place in the Two Oceans, widely celebrated as the world’s most beautiful ultra-distance race.

the 56km Two Oceans Ultra and related events are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, April 11 and 12, and runners who had not yet achieved the qualifying standard of a sub-five-hour marathon over 42.2km arrived in Cape Town knowing that Sunday represented their final chance.

For Solomon Miller from Lotus River, the race carried deeply personal meaning as he aimed to complete his 29th race while crossing the finish line within qualifying parameters.

“You see, I’m aiming to complete my 30th Two Oceans in the next few years, so it was important for me to qualify today. I really enjoy running these races. If I had missed the Peninsula, it would have meant travelling to other areas to try to qualify, which comes with extra costs. Finances are always a challenge. I still want to compete in my 31st Comrades Marathon later this year, so everything needs to be planned carefully,” said Miller.

At the front of the field, however, the story was all about speed and precision. George Kusche, representing Nedbank Running Club, produced a commanding performance in near-perfect conditions to claim victory in a sensational time of 2:15:02 — the second-fastest winning time recorded in the race this century.

In the women’s contest, Durban masters athlete Jenna Challenor continued her impressive relationship with the Peninsula Marathon by capturing her third title, stopping the clock at 2:47:35. Challenor’s winning time was four minutes faster than her gold-medal performance last year, when the event doubled as the ASA Marathon Championships. Her personal best on the Peninsula route remains 2:46:05, set in 2019.

However, the day truly belonged to the thousands who battled the undulating coastal route in pursuit of dreams of qualification. More than 3,500 runners completed the full marathon between Green Point and Simon’s Town within the official cut-off time, while a further 2,868 athletes finished the half-marathon, which covered the latter portion of the route, starting in Bergvliet.

Full Marathon Results – Men:

1. George Kusche (Nedbank GN) – 2:15:02

2. Sithembiso Mqhele (Nedbank KZN) – 2:21:30

3. Selwyn Matthews (Nedbank SWD) – 2:22:49

4. Mthandazo Qhina (Impala NWN) – 2:28:58

5. Adam Lipschitz (Social Runners) – 2:29:59

Women:

1. Jenna Challenor (Nedbank KZN) – 2:47:35

2. Steph McCall (GB) – 2:51:11

3. Ilse Marais (Nedbank GN) – 2:58:12

4. Maretha Smit (Nedbank WP) – 2:58:26

5. Jenna Spooner (Maverick) – 2:58:38

Half-Marathon Results – Men:

1. William Kaptein (TymeBank Langa) – 1:07:36

2. Kane Reilly (Tmp) – 1:08:26

3. Brendon Puller (Celtics) – 1:10:56

4. Lusindiso Mbuli (Held Har) – 1:11:58

5. Mandlenkosi Tuna (Nedbank WP) – 1:13:11

Women:

1. Becky Briggs (GB) – 1:19:49

2. Mila Geldenhuys (TymeBank Langa) – 1:20:59

3. Mia Morrison (Jhb Country Club) – 1:22:00

4. Delia Binninger (Tmp) – 1:22:36

5. Lara Twigg (Maverick) – 1:27:09