Comrades Marathon seeks new race director to lead iconic event
The Ultra Marathon posted on their website and social media pages on Tuesday that they are searching for 'a highly experienced race director to manage the planning, co-ordination, and execution of the Comrades Marathon', sparking a frenzy of comments. A number of the commenters are calling on the requirements to include applicants being a race finisher or a Green Number holder.
'Make sure the race director is a runner,' commented Kosie Gericke. 'Then he or she would understand the needs and requirements of a race.' This request was supported by Sbonelo Ndlovu who said, 'Be comrades marathon finisher, please add to your requirements.'
The comments were made in line with this year's controversial finish of the nearly 90km Down Run, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, which was at the roadside near People's Park. This was a first for Comrades and it sparked confusion and chaos among runners and spectators alike, bringing the stadia precinct to a standstill in traffic.
Also Read: Organisers slam false reporting of deaths at Comrades Marathon
It also resulted in runner M33485, Moira Harding, going missing after finishing the ultimate endurance race at 16:52 on Sunday, June 8. She was found on Mahatma Gandhi (formerly Point) Road in Durban on Monday morning and had to be airlifted to hospital. Harding, who was exhausted from running 89km, had walked further 7km to an arranged meeting point with her family.
'One of the requirements should be that the potential race director should be skilled at ensuring eliminating confusion at the end of the race to ensure that no one gets lost after the run,' weighed in Robert Shivambu on Facebook.
Among the requirements of the vacancy is strategic management, event management, risk and safety management, stakeholder and community engagement, communications and media, essential competencies, post-event monitoring, evaluation and reporting. 'Be part of preserving the race's rich history while driving innovation, operational excellence, and an unforgettable participant experience,' read the advert.
Also Read: VIDEO: Missing Comrades Marathon runner found near port
The position was previously held by Alain Dalais who was appointed to the post of general manager of the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) in January. He served as the acting race and operations manager since July 2024 following the dismissal of Ann Ashworth in June.
Following numerous tags on the social media post, Graham Block responded: 'Oh Wow! I am both honoured and humbled all at the same. Thank you to everyone for believing in me. HUGELY APPRECIATED, Run Zone Athletics Club is my heartbeat and my life. We have so much planned for the future of our members and Run Zone Athletics Club. We as a club will assist, contribute and be involved with Comrades Marathon as much as possible. Run Zone Athletics Club Page is and always will be my heartbeat and my loyalty to our members is top of my life's goals and dreams next to God, my Wife and my Family. Thank You.'
For the full job description and to apply, visit www.comrades.com/vacancies
For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
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The Citizen
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ANN Ashworth, Graham Block, Rene Kalmer and Norrie Williamson are some of the names being touted on social media for the vacant position of Comrades Marathon race director, which is open for applications until Monday, July 21. The Ultra Marathon posted on their website and social media pages on Tuesday that they are searching for 'a highly experienced race director to manage the planning, co-ordination, and execution of the Comrades Marathon', sparking a frenzy of comments. A number of the commenters are calling on the requirements to include applicants being a race finisher or a Green Number holder. 'Make sure the race director is a runner,' commented Kosie Gericke. 'Then he or she would understand the needs and requirements of a race.' This request was supported by Sbonelo Ndlovu who said, 'Be comrades marathon finisher, please add to your requirements.' The comments were made in line with this year's controversial finish of the nearly 90km Down Run, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, which was at the roadside near People's Park. This was a first for Comrades and it sparked confusion and chaos among runners and spectators alike, bringing the stadia precinct to a standstill in traffic. Also Read: Organisers slam false reporting of deaths at Comrades Marathon It also resulted in runner M33485, Moira Harding, going missing after finishing the ultimate endurance race at 16:52 on Sunday, June 8. She was found on Mahatma Gandhi (formerly Point) Road in Durban on Monday morning and had to be airlifted to hospital. Harding, who was exhausted from running 89km, had walked further 7km to an arranged meeting point with her family. 'One of the requirements should be that the potential race director should be skilled at ensuring eliminating confusion at the end of the race to ensure that no one gets lost after the run,' weighed in Robert Shivambu on Facebook. Among the requirements of the vacancy is strategic management, event management, risk and safety management, stakeholder and community engagement, communications and media, essential competencies, post-event monitoring, evaluation and reporting. 'Be part of preserving the race's rich history while driving innovation, operational excellence, and an unforgettable participant experience,' read the advert. Also Read: VIDEO: Missing Comrades Marathon runner found near port The position was previously held by Alain Dalais who was appointed to the post of general manager of the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) in January. He served as the acting race and operations manager since July 2024 following the dismissal of Ann Ashworth in June. Following numerous tags on the social media post, Graham Block responded: 'Oh Wow! I am both honoured and humbled all at the same. Thank you to everyone for believing in me. HUGELY APPRECIATED, Run Zone Athletics Club is my heartbeat and my life. We have so much planned for the future of our members and Run Zone Athletics Club. We as a club will assist, contribute and be involved with Comrades Marathon as much as possible. Run Zone Athletics Club Page is and always will be my heartbeat and my loyalty to our members is top of my life's goals and dreams next to God, my Wife and my Family. Thank You.' For the full job description and to apply, visit For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook , X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
09-07-2025
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Comrades Marathon seeks new race director to lead iconic event
ANN Ashworth, Graham Block, Rene Kalmer and Norrie Williamson are some of the names being touted on social media for the vacant position of Comrades Marathon race director, which is open for applications until Monday, July 21. The Ultra Marathon posted on their website and social media pages on Tuesday that they are searching for 'a highly experienced race director to manage the planning, co-ordination, and execution of the Comrades Marathon', sparking a frenzy of comments. A number of the commenters are calling on the requirements to include applicants being a race finisher or a Green Number holder. 'Make sure the race director is a runner,' commented Kosie Gericke. 'Then he or she would understand the needs and requirements of a race.' This request was supported by Sbonelo Ndlovu who said, 'Be comrades marathon finisher, please add to your requirements.' The comments were made in line with this year's controversial finish of the nearly 90km Down Run, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, which was at the roadside near People's Park. This was a first for Comrades and it sparked confusion and chaos among runners and spectators alike, bringing the stadia precinct to a standstill in traffic. Also Read: Organisers slam false reporting of deaths at Comrades Marathon It also resulted in runner M33485, Moira Harding, going missing after finishing the ultimate endurance race at 16:52 on Sunday, June 8. She was found on Mahatma Gandhi (formerly Point) Road in Durban on Monday morning and had to be airlifted to hospital. Harding, who was exhausted from running 89km, had walked further 7km to an arranged meeting point with her family. 'One of the requirements should be that the potential race director should be skilled at ensuring eliminating confusion at the end of the race to ensure that no one gets lost after the run,' weighed in Robert Shivambu on Facebook. Among the requirements of the vacancy is strategic management, event management, risk and safety management, stakeholder and community engagement, communications and media, essential competencies, post-event monitoring, evaluation and reporting. 'Be part of preserving the race's rich history while driving innovation, operational excellence, and an unforgettable participant experience,' read the advert. Also Read: VIDEO: Missing Comrades Marathon runner found near port The position was previously held by Alain Dalais who was appointed to the post of general manager of the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) in January. He served as the acting race and operations manager since July 2024 following the dismissal of Ann Ashworth in June. Following numerous tags on the social media post, Graham Block responded: 'Oh Wow! I am both honoured and humbled all at the same. Thank you to everyone for believing in me. HUGELY APPRECIATED, Run Zone Athletics Club is my heartbeat and my life. We have so much planned for the future of our members and Run Zone Athletics Club. We as a club will assist, contribute and be involved with Comrades Marathon as much as possible. Run Zone Athletics Club Page is and always will be my heartbeat and my loyalty to our members is top of my life's goals and dreams next to God, my Wife and my Family. Thank You.' For the full job description and to apply, visit For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
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- The Citizen
The race is on: Comrades search for race director
ANN Ashworth, Graham Block, Rene Kalmer and Norrie Williamson are some of the names being touted on social media for the vacant position of Comrades Marathon race director, which is open for applications until Monday, July 21. The Ultra Marathon posted on their website and social media pages on Tuesday that they are searching for 'a highly experienced race director to manage the planning, co-ordination, and execution of the Comrades Marathon', sparking a frenzy of comments. A number of the commenters are calling on the requirements to include applicants being a race finisher or a Green Number holder. 'Make sure the race director is a runner,' commented Kosie Gericke. 'Then he or she would understand the needs and requirements of a race.' This request was supported by Sbonelo Ndlovu who said, 'Be comrades marathon finisher, please add to your requirements.' The comments were made in line with this year's controversial finish of the nearly 90km Down Run, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, which was at the roadside near People's Park. This was a first for Comrades and it sparked confusion and chaos among runners and spectators alike, bringing the stadia precinct to a standstill in traffic. Also Read: Organisers slam false reporting of deaths at Comrades Marathon It also resulted in runner M33485, Moira Harding, going missing after finishing the ultimate endurance race at 16:52 on Sunday, June 8. She was found on Mahatma Gandhi (formerly Point) Road in Durban on Monday morning and had to be airlifted to hospital. Harding, who was exhausted from running 89km, had walked further 7km to an arranged meeting point with her family. 'One of the requirements should be that the potential race director should be skilled at ensuring eliminating confusion at the end of the race to ensure that no one gets lost after the run,' weighed in Robert Shivambu on Facebook. Among the requirements of the vacancy is strategic management, event management, risk and safety management, stakeholder and community engagement, communications and media, essential competencies, post-event monitoring, evaluation and reporting. 'Be part of preserving the race's rich history while driving innovation, operational excellence, and an unforgettable participant experience,' read the advert. Also Read: VIDEO: Missing Comrades Marathon runner found near port The position was previously held by Alain Dalais who was appointed to the post of general manager of the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) in January. He served as the acting race and operations manager since July 2024 following the dismissal of Ann Ashworth in June. Following numerous tags on the social media post, Graham Block responded: 'Oh Wow! I am both honoured and humbled all at the same. Thank you to everyone for believing in me. HUGELY APPRECIATED, Run Zone Athletics Club is my heartbeat and my life. We have so much planned for the future of our members and Run Zone Athletics Club. We as a club will assist, contribute and be involved with Comrades Marathon as much as possible. Run Zone Athletics Club Page is and always will be my heartbeat and my loyalty to our members is top of my life's goals and dreams next to God, my Wife and my Family. Thank You.' For the full job description and to apply, visit For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
