Is the Comrades Marathon a sleeping dragon or a dinosaur, trying to find somewhere comfortable to die?
The latter would seem to be where the betting money is going, with the news that entries for this year’s up-run are just 12 013 after an all-time high of 24 223 in the 2000 edition of the KwaZulu-Natal classic.
It is ironic that the race is being held on Youth Day when the average age of the field is 39 for men and 40 for women, one year up on what it was a year ago, signifying that there is no new blood flowing into the sport. The fact that the number of entries of both novices and women have also dropped, attests to this. It would seem that the race is still made up predominantly of Baby Boomers who where swept up by the magic of the Comrades in the TV era.
Moving with the times has not been a big priority for the folk down Sleepy Hollow way, who are not known for their innovative thinking. The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) elected to move the finish to the Scotsville Racecourse in 1998, a venue with the atmosphere of a mausoleum; it eventually switched to a new stadium venue down the road.
The professional era has delivered more than a few challenges to well-heeled sport like cricket and rugby. In its infinite wisdom the CMA put off the inevitable all the way through the Bruce Fordyce era and finally capitulated in 1995, when Shaun Mikeljohn took home R60 000. The backlog caused by this hard-headed resistance to paying prize money meant the CMA had to make up the gap in leaps and bounds, sometimes stretching its financial resources.
After admin manager cum tea maid Brad Glasspool was shown the door the CMA took another giant leap forward by hiring its first full-time CEO, John van den Aardweg. Reputedly paid a salary of R480 000, he has not endeared himself to the rank and file, who, used to the old school way of doing things, have described him as ‘inaccessableâ€.
With his sights set on bringing in additional revenue he raised the package for each of the six main sponsors from R800 000 a year to a whopping R1,9-million, alienating long-term backer Coca-Cola along the way.
Athletics South Africa (ASA) is no great fan of the race, citing the fact that many top athletes are being lured away from cross-country and track by the far more lucrative marathon running circuit. The national governing body has taken the unprecedented step of restricting the number of marathon and ultra-marathons that each province can stage, a step that will ultimately lead to further reductions in the Comrades field.
Notwithstanding all that ails the grand old lady of South African road running, this year’s edition is as wide open as the proverbial farm gate, with any of a possible 30 runners capable of taking the R175 000 first prize. The qualifying time of all the top competitors is falling every year; gone are the days of the Fordyce era when a 2:18 marathon would put you at the front of the field.
The locals will once again have to deal with an ever-growing field of international competitors, mostly from countries with weak economies. The first prize plus incentives could make the winner an instant millionaire in roubles or Zimbabwe dollars.
The pick of the bunch among the men are Mr Price’s Russian-turned-Capetonian, Vladimir Kotov, and his Spanish teammate, Jorge Aubeso, who boasts the fastest 100km time of the year (6:26) and a third in his debut up run.
Most of the internationals have found a new home under the Premier banner, with last year’s runner-up, Oleg Kharitonov, two-time gold medallist Grigoriy Murzin, European 100km champion Denis Zhalybin, the youngest of all top competitors, and Victor Tyupin lining up outside the Durban city hall on June 16.
Liberty Nike are fielding a depleted squad this year, with 2001 down run winner Andrew Kelehe their best bet for success, and Johan Oosthuizen as a fair outsider.
Harmony Gold, having won every other major race in the country bar the Big C, have roped in every potential winner south of the equator with much of their hopes resting squarely on the shoulders of former New York marathon winner Willie Mtolo, who already has a second place to his credit. He will be supported by Albie Geldenhuys.
The women’s race looks to be a forgone conclusion. Russian twins Elena and Oelysa Nurgalieva have now finished first and second in both their outings on South African soil and will in all likelihood do this again.