Two Oceans 2027: A New Night Run, and 21,000 Runners in Each Flagship Race
Announced 30 June 2026: the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon powered by BYD returns 31 March to 4 April 2027 with a bigger, five-day Event Week. The Half (Sat 3 April) and Ultra (Sun 4 April) each grow to 21,000 runners, a new 8km Night Run opens the week, and roughly 50,000 runners are expected across all events.
What happened
Cape Town's biggest weekend on the running calendar just got bigger. On 30 June 2026, organisers confirmed the dates for the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon powered by BYD 2027, and the headline is growth on almost every front.
The two flagship races land on the same first-weekend-of-April slot the event is known for: the Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon (21.1km) on Saturday, 3 April 2027, followed by the globally iconic Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra Marathon (56km) on Sunday, 4 April 2027. The finish, once again, is at the University of Cape Town.
The biggest news for runners chasing a place: both the Half and the Ultra will now host 21,000 participants each, and a brand-new Night Run kicks off a five-day Event Week.
A bigger week, a new event
The 2027 programme stretches across five days, from Wednesday, 31 March to Sunday, 4 April, with each event given its own moment rather than being squeezed around the two big races:
- Wednesday, 31 March: Night Run (8km), a new addition to the schedule
- Thursday, 1 April: International Friendship Run (4.5km)
- Friday, 2 April: Trail Runs (24km and 16km)
- Saturday, 3 April: Half Marathon (21.1km)
- Sunday, 4 April: Ultra Marathon (56km)
"This enhanced schedule gives each event its own moment to shine, enriches the experience for runners and supporters alike," said Chris Goldschmidt, Chairperson of the Two Oceans Marathon.
Across the whole week, organisers expect roughly 50,000 runners cumulatively, a scale that cements Two Oceans as South Africa's biggest running showcase.
The capacity surge
This is the part that matters most if your name has ever been left out of the ballot. Both flagship races have grown sharply:
- Half Marathon: up from 17,000 to 21,000 runners (+4,000)
- Ultra Marathon: up from 14,000 to 21,000 runners (+7,000)
That Ultra jump is one of the largest single-year increases in the event's history: 7,000 extra places on a 56km course that has long sold out fast. For a race born in 1970 as the modest Celtic 35-mile road race with just 26 finishers, a 21,000-strong Ultra field is a remarkable measure of how far "the world's most beautiful marathon" has travelled.
"The 2027 edition represents an exciting step forward, with significantly increased capacity ensuring more runners can experience the iconic race weekend," said Event Director Wade Bromfield.
Dates, fees and when entries open
Mark these in your calendar now. The entry windows open well before race week.
- Night Run: Wed 31 March 2027 · 8km · R320 · capacity 5,000 · entries open Mon 3 Aug 2026
- International Friendship Run: Thu 1 April 2027 · 4.5km · R250 · capacity 1,500 · entries open Mon 3 Aug 2026
- Trail Runs: Fri 2 April 2027 · R950 (24km) / R750 (16km) · capacity 1,500 · entries open Mon 3 Aug 2026
- Half Marathon: Sat 3 April 2027 · 21.1km · R450 (licensed SA athletes; unlicensed pay R450 plus a temp licence) · capacity 21,000
- Ultra Marathon: Sun 4 April 2027 · 56km · capacity 21,000
For the Half and Ultra, Blue Number Club members get their own entry window from Wednesday, 15 July to Wednesday, 22 July 2026, before the general ballot opens on Wednesday, 5 August 2026. With demand at these levels, the ballot is the route most runners will take, so have your details ready.
The bigger picture
Two Oceans is riding real momentum. The 2026 race delivered one of the great underdog stories when small-town runner Arthur Jantjies stunned the field to win the Ultra, while Gerda Steyn claimed a record seventh straight title. Off the course, electric-vehicle giant BYD came on board as the event's first-ever presenting sponsor, joining Totalsports alongside backers including Coca-Cola, Powerade and Cipla.
The pattern echoes what we're seeing across the sport's biggest events. London is expanding to a two-day, 100,000-runner format for 2027, and Cape Town Marathon has just joined the Abbott World Marathon Majors. Demand for the marquee races has never been higher, and the events are scaling up to meet it.
What it means if you're running from here
A 7,000-place jump on the Ultra and 4,000 more on the Half is genuinely good news: your odds of toeing the line in Cape Town just improved. A few honest notes if Two Oceans is on your list:
- The ballot still favours the prepared. Bigger fields help, but 21,000 places will go quickly. Note the dates above, and if you're a Blue Number Club member, use your earlier window.
- 56km is a long way, so start where you are. The Ultra is a serious step up from a half. If the bug has bitten and you're newer to running, build from the ground up: our first 5K guide is the right place to begin, and finding your running pace will keep your long training runs honest.
- Bank some racing first. Two Oceans rewards experience. Between now and April 2027 there's a full calendar of South African events to sharpen up on, so find a race near you and get the miles in your legs.
Five days, a new Night Run, and 42,000 places across the two flagship races. Two Oceans 2027 is shaping up to be the biggest edition yet, and the door to Cape Town's most beautiful weekend is wider open than it's been in years.