Compiled by: Lindy-Joy Dennis and Mark Meyer | Athlete Profiles by: Riël Hauman 1 CONTENTS DESCRIPTION PAGE Events Diary 6 Useful Contact Details 7 Our Sponsors 8 Top 10 finishers 56km (2011 to 2017) 9 Top 10 finishers 21km (2011 to 2017) 10-16 Course record holders 56km Ultra Marathon 17 Course record holders 21km Half Marathon (Current Course) 18 Course record holders 21km Half Marathon (Old Course) 19 Past Winners 1970 to 2017 56km 20 Past Winners 1998 to 2017 21km 21 56 km Category Winners 2012 to 2017 22 21 km Category Winners 2012 to 2017 23-24 56km entry statistics 25 21km entry statistics 25 Interesting race statistics 27 Provincial entry breakdown 27 Age category breakdown 28 Western Province clubs – top 10 breakdown 28 Upcountry clubs – top 10 breakdown 28 Country statistics 29 Race Images: Please email [email protected] or call Mark Meyer/Lindy-Joy Dennis to request high-res images before, during or after Race Week on 073 269 4727/076 557 8778. Images will also be uploaded to the website Press section post race. Please follow the credit guidelines that will be stipulated with the relevant photos. Compiled by: Lindy-Joy Dennis and Mark Meyer | Athlete Profiles by: Riël Hauman 2 Dear Members of the Media On behalf of the Two Oceans Marathon NPC, we would like to welcome you to Africa’s biggest running event, the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. This year we are celebrating our 50th marathon milestone event. This guide contains important information to support you in your coverage of the event. We look forward to working with you throughout Race Week and on Race Day, and connecting you with the many stories that make this event a favourite on the international racing calendar. The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon is proudly South African and Cape Town’s best-loved running event. The various event routes show off the majestic beauty of the Mother City, while enabling runners of all ages, shapes, sizes and fitness levels to participate in one of the many events that fall under its umbrella. We are as always thrilled that Cape Town, the world’s Leading Festival and Events Destination, is the Official Host City for OMTOM 2019. Finish Time SportSplits App Our #OMTOM2019 timing partner is FinishTime. Runners will receive a temporary timing chip attached to their race bibs. Track your favourite runner on Race Day – see the News and Press sections of our website for more. Athlete profiles Find a comprehensive compilation of athlete profiles in the Press section of our website. RUN AS ONE the movie We continue our Run As One theme as an ongoing celebration of the wonderful diversity seen at Two Oceans. From participants, spectators and supporters, to our volunteers, sponsors and partners – we are all a part of the world’s most beautiful marathon. Don’t miss RUN AS ONE the movie, which underscores all these emotive and compelling tales of comaradie and so much more at Two Oceans, and catch it at various times at the CTICC auditorium at our Expo. Compiled by: Lindy-Joy Dennis and Mark Meyer | Athlete Profiles by: Riël Hauman 3 Socio-economic impact It is also important to acknowledge the economic impact of the event on the City and region. The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon event contributes approximately R672-million into Cape Town and the Western Cape, while creating thousands of jobs and opportunities for skills training within the B-BBEE framework. About 3 000 temporary jobs were created last year. The Two Oceans Marathon Intitiatve (TOMI) Under the TOMI umbrella, the theme of socio-economic impact finds expression by way of uplifting and empowering others. TOMI raises funds for four beneficiaries each year, and is partnering with a record 80 charities this year. The Relay is also a TOMI offering, with proceeds being channeled back into local communities and charitable partnerships to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon continues to be an event with heart. Through our charitable arm, the Two Oceans Marathon Initiative (TOMI), we are able to support our 2019 beneficiaries and the wonderful work they do. Participants were able to make donations to their choice of the Wildlands Conservation Trust, Play Sport 4 Life, Ikhaya Le Themba and the Anna Foundation. Charitable organisations were once again invited to purchase Half-Marathon entries and use the event as one of their fundraising platforms. Read more in the Run For Charity section of our website. Thank you to our title sponsor, Old Mutual Our partnership with title sponsor Old Mutual has entered its 20th year. Their support has been pivotal in transforming our Ultra into one of the top and most iconic marathons in the world. This will also be the sixth year that adidas is on board as our technical sponsor. We are, as always, incredibly grateful for their support, as well as the support of all our other sponsors and partners that form part of the OMTOM family. A special warm welcome to new fuel sponsor, Caltex. 50th Anniversary OMTOM 2019 highlights As our 50th anniversary countdown begins, the team has started to take stock of the work we have done over the years, and it has been amazing to see how each event under the OMTOM umbrella has grown into a standalone entity. Simply look at our entry statistics for the Ultra and Half Marathons - both events have been at capacity for the past few years. Looking at the 2019 OMTOM, here are some highlights: Ultra Marathon entries were sold out within 6 hours on 13 November 2018! For the first time, Ultra applications opened subsequently to ease the disappointment of runners who did not get an entry. Our 50th anniversary coffee table book, Celebrating 50 years of the Two Oceans Marathon was published to great acclaim. Previous medal winners are featured in a full Ship’s Log section at the back – read more in the news section of our website. The book is available to buy on Webtickets. Our ongoing efforts in developing ultra distance running in SA have once again earned the event IAU (International Association of Ultrarunners) Gold Label Status. Half Marathon entries were once again processed through a ballot application process, with separate entry windows for Blue Number Holders, Running Club members and general entrants. The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon celebrates their 50th milestone year, with the launch of the inaugural 2 X 28 km Relay, adding to our bouquet of running events that make up the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon. We once agan partnered with Webtickets to create a more robust payment system for all our entries. This also enabled runners who did not have access to a credit card, to pay in cash or by debit card at their nearest Pick n Pay. Running Clubs were required to validate their 2019 memberships to ensure accurate statistics and qualifier submissions. All Blue Number holders and International entrants are required to qualify for the Ultra Marathon. Compiled by: Lindy-Joy Dennis and Mark Meyer | Athlete Profiles by: Riël Hauman 4 The OMTOM Trail event celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, paving the way for a new generation of Blue Number holders on the Trail Run in 2020. Events, including the Friday Fun Runs Race Week is once again jam-packed with events that cater for everyone. In addition to the main events – the Ultra Marathon, Half Marathon and Trail Runs – our Fun Runs continue to enjoy growing in popularity as an affordable morning out for the whole family. The Nappy Dash and Toddlers’ Trot introduces the athletes of tomorrow to the wonderful world of running. The Fun Runs act as a bonding session for family and friends, the “first race” for many novice runners, and a leg-loosener for Saturday’s long-distance runners. And then, of course, there is the picturesque International Friendship Run. The scenic 5.6km run/walk is an event especially for our overseas visitors, with the start and finish in the V&A Waterfront. The Expo Preceding these events is the Expo, which will once again be hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) where athletes can collect their race packs, while visitors get to see the latest in sports technology, equipment, nutrition and health, as well as the latest trends in running fashion. The new and improved Old Mutual Theatre of Advice, supported by the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA), will also host a series of daily talks by industry experts and inspiring runners. Green Focus For the third-year, this event will deploy its waste management and anti-littering campaign. This initiaitive has a zero-tolerance stance on littering along the route, converting non-organic waste collected during race-week into much-needed school desks. Organising an event of this magnitude is not without its challenges, and we are still faced with water restrictions as a result of the recent drought in Cape Town. We have spent a considerable amount of time and energy finding alternative solutions to minimise our impact on the City’s municipal water supply. The Ultra Marathon will also have a number of hydration pack refill stations for self-sufficient athletes running with hydration packs. We continue to adhere to and, in some instances, exceed the water restrictions in place due to careful and innovative logistics planning. It is my pleasure to welcome you to the our 50th marathon milestone edition of the Africa’s biggest running event, the 2019 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon.