Cape100: A 100km Road Ultra From Hermanus to Stellenbosch
A new 100km road ultra is coming to the Western Cape. Cape100 runs point-to-point from Hermanus to the Stellenbosch Winelands on Sunday, 5 September 2027, starting at 5am. Entries, qualifying standards and the detailed route are still to come, but the date is set and the Founding List is open for early access.
The short version
South African ultra running is getting a new big day out. Cape100 is a 100km point-to-point road ultra from Hermanus to the Stellenbosch Winelands, and the first date on the calendar is Sunday, 5 September 2027.
The organisers call it "The World's Premier 100km Ultra Marathon", and the tagline is One Number. Infinite Stories. The idea is simple: one distance, one start line by the sea, one finish among the vineyards, and a whole field of runners with their own reasons for getting there.
Entries haven't opened yet. The route details, qualifying standards and entry fees are all still to be announced. For now there's the date, a race weekend schedule and a Founding List for anyone who wants to hear first.
Why this one is worth watching
South Africa already has two of the most famous ultras on the planet in Comrades and Two Oceans. What we haven't had is a big 100km road race. Cape100 fills that gap. As the organisers put it, the race "brings a new stage to that story", and that stage is 100 kilometres, point-to-point, on the road.
It's a single-distance event, so there's no half marathon or shorter race running alongside it. Everyone on the start line is there for the full 100.
The setting helps too. The race promises the South African coastline, mountains and ocean views on the way from the whale-watching capital of Hermanus to Stellenbosch wine country. Expect lots of photos on the Monday.
Race weekend at a glance
The published schedule gives a good picture of how the weekend will run (timings are marked as subject to change):
- Thursday, 2 September 2027, 10am: official race brief, online
- Saturday, 4 September 2027, 10am to 8pm: expo at Blaauwklippen Wine Estate, Stellenbosch
- Saturday: race village opens at 8am, venue to be confirmed
- Sunday, 5 September 2027, 5am: race start in Hermanus (exact spot to be confirmed), with buses on race morning
- Sunday, 11am: first runners expected at the finish
- Sunday, 8pm onwards: the afterparty
The schedule lists the last-runner cut-off as 8pm, which would make it a 15-hour race. The page puts that on the Saturday, which looks like a typo, so wait for the official rules before you plan around it.
The finish area has a name already: The Black Carpet, a finish precinct with entertainment, food and hospitality that's meant to celebrate every runner coming home, not just the front of the field.
What we're still waiting for
Plenty is still to come, and the organisers say it'll be released before entries open:
- Entry dates and fees: "Entries have not yet opened"
- Qualifying standards: to be published before entries open
- The full route: course details, elevation profile and water table locations will come closer to entries opening
- Start and finish venues: Hermanus and Stellenbosch are confirmed, the exact spots aren't
The easiest way not to miss any of it is the Founding List on cape100.com, which gives priority access to announcements, route reveals and entry releases. We'll cover the big updates here too.
How to start getting ready
We don't know the qualifying standard yet, but it's a safe bet that a 100km race will ask for proof that you can go long. A recent marathon or ultra is the likely ask, so a good marathon in the next few months is a smart move whatever the rules turn out to be.
Here's a nice bit of timing: Cape100 falls exactly 12 weeks after the 100th Comrades Marathon on 13 June 2027. If the centenary is already your big one, that's a real gap for recovery and a second build. If Comrades isn't on your list, September gives you a whole winter to train.
Either way, it starts with a plan. Build one with the Slow Miles race plan builder: pick your race, set a goal time and get a week-by-week schedule that builds your mileage properly. Then find a qualifying race on the calendar and get it booked.
Happy running.