Extreme weather forces cancellation of another high profile Cape Town road race
Due to severe adverse weather conditions forecast for Cape Town and the Western Cape this weekend, the organisers of the 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K, after consulting with the City of Cape Town authorities, local authorities, and the appointed safety officials, have made the difficult decision to cancel the event scheduled to […] The post Extreme weather forces cancellation of another high profile Cape Town road race appeared first on Sports Network Africa.
Black News 
Due to severe adverse weather conditions forecast for Cape Town and the Western Cape this weekend, the organisers of the 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K, after consulting with the City of Cape Town authorities, local authorities, and the appointed safety officials, have made the difficult decision to cancel the event scheduled to take place on Sunday, 10 May, with all entrants promised a full refund or entry into next year’s race.
The decision today (Friday 8 May) marks the third high-profile race cancellation in Cape Town within the past seven months following the decision to cancel the Cape Town Marathon in October and the 35km race in the Ultra-trail Cape Town in November, both due to high winds.
Ironically the decision to cancel was made on one of the best-possible late-autumn days in Cape Town and with the promise of favourable racing conditions tomorrow (Saturday 9 May). But with a severe cold front expected to make landfall over the Western Cape on Saturday night or early Sunday morning, the City events team were left with no choice.
The forecast includes disruptive rainfall, strong interior and gale force coastal winds, as well as cold to very cold, wet and windy conditions across the region. Expected impacts include flooding of roads and settlements (formal and informal), as well as dangerous and difficult driving conditions.
While we understand the anticipation from thousands of participants and the broader running community, for the City of Cape Town safety at events is always a priority,” explained Leonora DeSouza-Zilwa, Director Events & Film, City of Cape Town.
“With the severe weather warnings issued for Cape Town this weekend posing a serious safety risk to participants, as well as impacting public infrastructure, mobility, essential services, and most importantly the safety of all stakeholders, responsible decision-making becomes critical. “
“Our Operations Team has been closely monitoring the weather predictions and engaging daily with the City of Cape Town authorities, local authorities, and the appointed safety officials, in the lead-up to race weekend,” commented Dezroy Poole, Race Director Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series.
“This decision (to cancel) was not taken lightly. However, under the expected conditions, we could not guarantee a safe and enjoyable race experience for all involved. We extend our sincere appreciation to every stakeholder for their understanding and ongoing support of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series.”
While runners will feel the disappointment, Sydney Mbhele, Group Chief Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer at Absa offered a silver lining. “While we share in the disappointment of thousands of runners safety had to come first. The decision to cancel was not an easy one, but we are delighted to offer our participants a choice between a full refund or free entry to the 2027 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K race,” said Mbhele.
Race organisers have promised that all registered runners will receive communication via WhatsApp and email newsletter over the course of the weekend, outlining the refund process and next steps. Further information and real time updates will be available on the social media platforms @CapeTown10k.
The 2026 Race Pack Collection at the Grand Parade will continue as scheduled. Runners are encouraged to collect their race packs throughout today (09h00 – 19h00) and Saturday (09h00 – 17h00).
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