Two Oceans Marathon organisers respond to High Court ruling
The social media post read: 'The Two Oceans Marathon NPC acknowledges the recent High Court judgment concerning public commentary made about the organisation and its leadership.
'While the matter was dismissed, we note that the judgement was based on procedural grounds – 𝙣𝙤𝙩 on the factual correctness, ethical appropriateness or moral acceptability of the statements made. It therefore cannot be said that the statements made were found to be truthful, justified, or ethically appropriate.
'As an organisation, we welcome constructive criticism and learn profoundly from it. However, we believe that such engagement must be 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘴, including runners, those who serve the organisation, suppliers and stakeholders.
'As one of Africa's most iconic running events, we value fair criticism and a spirit of public engagement that falls within the boundaries of what can be considered fundamentally decent and respectful.'
In the Gauteng High Court case between Two Oceans chairperson Toni Cavanagh (first applicant) and the Two Oceans Marathon NPC (second applicant) and Stuart Mann (respondent), the Honourable Judge Yacoob ruled emphatically against Cavanagh and the TOM NPC granting a costs order on scale C (the most severe possible outcome).
This will reportedly cost Cavanagh and the TOM NPC around R400 000.
Whether Cavanagh will cough up the cash herself or turn to the NPC for help remains to be seen.
The full 15-page judgement can be found HERE
This developing news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
The future of the Two Oceans Marathon is in serious doubt after the City of Cape Town pulled its sponsorship of the event following a number of flagrant contraventions of conditions by the organisers of this year's race.
Organisers were on the receiving end of more criticism this year – as is seemingly the case every year – as runners took to social media in their droves to vent their unhappiness and frustration.
Runners lashed out at the organisers for – among many other things – shocking (read: no) communication pre-race, a lack of sufficient markings on the trail race, goodie bags hardly worth taking home, a lack of water tables during the race and running out of medals for finishers.
Race director Hilton Kearns is on record as saying they 'overcompensated in predicting the number of silver medallists they expected and did not have enough bronze medals'.
This was proven to be a lie by well-known South African runner and blogger, Stuart Mann, who, writing on his blog ' The Running Mann ' this week exposed the latest untruth.
Mann ran the numbers and the percentage of silver medallists in the Two Oceans Half Marathon has been the same for the last three years: 1.3%.
A mere 234 runners earned silver medals, while 17 443 runners earned bronze this year.
The real reason the race ran out of thousands of bronze medals was the fact they accepted – and took payment for – more entries than they were allowed by the City of Cape Town.
Meanwhile, according to Two Oceans chairperson Toni Cavanagh, the race has struggled to rope in enough sponsors since emerging from the Covid pandemic a few years ago.
While they appreciated the support from current headline sponsor Totalsports – and the runners who paid entry fees – they are falling short of the claimed nearly R27 million required to organise the event.
RELATED | Tributes pour in for runner after tragic death at Two Oceans Marathon
In the irony of all ironies, just two short years ago prior to taking over as Two Oceans chairperson, Cavanagh took to social media to slate the race organisers following her 'fudging ridiculous' experience at race collection back in 2023.
The South African website has in its possession a letter of demand to cease and desist from the Two Oceans Marathon NPC and Toni Cavanagh sent to Mann on Wednesday.
The South African website also has it on good authority that Mann plans to neither cease nor desist from exposing the truth.
It appears clear that the City of Cape Town is siding with Mann – and the truth.
In a response sent to The South African website on Thursday, the City confirmed: 'Following the Two Oceans Half Marathon on Sunday, 6 April 2025, the City of Cape Town's Events Permitting Office discovered that the Two Oceans Marathon race management allowed more participants to take part in the half marathon than what was approved in the official permit.
'The Two Oceans Marathon race management contravened conditions of its permit and subsequently the Events By-Law by allowing more than the permitted number of runners to take part.
'This is a complete disregard of the months of work behind the scenes to plan the logistics and safety measures in place around the event.
'The contravention of stipulated permit conditions places at risk the safety of people taking part in events.
'The sponsorship agreement between the City of Cape Town and the agreement between the City and the Two Oceans Marathon NPC is clear that any breach of permit will result in the municipality pulling sponsorship of the event.
'The Two Oceans Marathon NPC was notified of the City's decision withdraw support on 10 April 2025.
'The City provides support in kind in the form of municipal services which assist in the event safety and logistics planning for the Two Oceans Marathon.
'The City's actions pertain specifically to its sponsorship of the Two Oceans Marathon – the Event Organiser can continue to apply for permits through the normal channels, as they are required to do in any event – irrespective of City sponsorship.'
Quite how the Two Oceans Marathon plans on holding an event without the sponsorship of the City of Cape Town remains to be seen, considering the lack of funding alluded to by the organisers themselves.
Whether any other sponsors wish to come on board and be associated with the race and its current Board remains to be seen.
In addition, race founder Celtic Harriers (a club which still receives royalties from the Two Oceans brand, but is no longer involved in the organisation) has said it wants to meet with the Two Oceans board out of concern for the future of the race.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
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