HOW TO ENTER

ONLINE ENTRIES ONLY – As per ASA directive, only online entries will be accepted.

1. Please go to www.comrades.com and click the ENTER NOW link.

You will not require your previous login details to enter. The system will automatically link your existing profile to your new entry once you have completed the entry process.

2. Before continuing with your entry, you will be required to complete the pre-entry screening process. This will ensure your existing Comrades race history is linked to your new entry profile.

3. If you do not currently have an EasyReg profile, you will be required to create a new EasyReg profile before continuing with your entry.

4. Once you reach the payment section of the entry process, you will have the option of making payment via a Debit / Credit card (Visa / MasterCard) or by using the instant EFT method supplied.

5. Once payment has been made, a confirmation email will be sent to you.

PLEASE DO NOT DEPOSIT ENTRY FEES DIRECTLY INTO THE COMRADES ACCOUNT

NO CASH, FAX, E-MAIL OR MANUAL ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

DATE & TIME OF RACE

The race will be run on Sunday, 28th August 2022 starting at 05h30 and finishing at 17h30. The race is run from “mat to mat”.

ROUTE & DISTANCE

It is a “DOWN RUN” starting at the City Hall in Pietermaritzburg and finishing at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. The race distance is approximately 90km. The distance is subject to change and will be confirmed in the Final Race Instructions.

ENTRY PERIOD & CAP

The first entry window period will open at 10am on 23 March 2022 and close at midnight on 31 March 2022 (and is for all 2020 ENTRANTS ONLY).

The second entry window period will open at 10am on 20 April 2022 and close at midnight on 16 May 2022 (and is open to all entrants)

Total number of entries will be capped at 15 000.

The entry period will close at midnight on 16 May 2022 or once the entry cap of 15 000 has been reached, whichever comes first.

If the entry cap of 15000 is reached within the first entry window period, the second entry window period will not take place.

NO ENTRIES WHATSOEVER WILL BE TAKEN AFTER 16 MAY 2022.

ENTRY FEE

Entry fee is waived for holders of 25 or more Comrades medals.

ENTRY FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE (unless the race is cancelled due to force majeure).

RIGHTS RESERVED

Any irregularities in your entry will result in a rejected entry. Comrades Marathon Association reserves the right to accept or reject any entry, subject to the rules of WA, ASA, KZNA and CMA.

AGE RESTRICTION

The minimum age requirement is that the athlete must be 20 years or older on the day of the Comrades Marathon.

RESTRICTION OF ENTRY

For South African entrants, the Comrades Marathon is restricted to club registered runners only. All South African participants must be in possession of a 2022 Provincial license number from their respective Federations. The domicile rule will be strictly enforced. No athlete may run for a club other than a club registered in the Province in which they are domiciled unless they are registered on the current ASA National Athlete List. Entrants MUST submit their club name, 2022 license number and COVID-19 VACCINE CERTIFICATE to the CMA by latest 16h30 on 12 July 2022. Failure to submit these details will result in the entry being rejected.

SUBSTITUTIONS 

The Comrades Marathon Association will accept substitutions for the 2022 Comrades Marathon during the substitution window period of 1 – 30 June 2022.

How it works:

Entrants who have successfully entered the 2022 Comrades Marathon will have the opportunity to withdraw from the race during the window period of 1 – 14 June 2022.

Entry slots that have been made available by withdrawing entrants will then be made available on a first come first serve basis to individuals wanting to enter the event via an online substitution entry window period of 17 – 30 June 2022. The substitution entry fee will be the same as per the 2022 entry fee.

No late substitutions will be accepted.

An Admin Fee of 15% of the entry fee will be deducted by the CMA from the withdrawing athlete. The CMA will then refund 85% of the entry fee to all withdrawing athletes who have been successfully substituted. There will be no money or voucher exchange between athletes.

FOREIGN ATHLETES  

Foreign athletes must strictly observe WA Rule 4, 22, and 142 as well as ASA Rule 9.

In a case where a foreign athlete is entered through a South African athletics club, it is the responsibility of the club to assist the athlete in observing WA Rule 4, 22, and 142 as well as ASA Rule 9.

Event organizers reserve the right to reject the entry of foreign athletes who violate WA Rule 4, 22,  and 142 as well as ASA Rule 9.

HOW TO ENTER

ONLINE ENTRIES ONLY 

As per ASA directive only online entries will be accepted. Enter online at www.comrades.com.

To enter online you will require either a Debit / Credit card (Visa / MasterCard) or utilize the online entry instant EFT method.

NO FAX, E-MAIL OR MANUAL ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED.

QUALIFYING CRITERIA

To qualify and participate in the 2022 Comrades Marathon, you will need to adhere to the below qualifying criteria. The cut-off date for supplying the below information in order to make your entry complete is 12 July 2022.

Update your qualifying details either by email, contacting the CMA office, online via your entry profile or by requesting your club administrator to do so for you. Qualifying details will NOT be accepted at Race Registration.

Qualifying Criteria:

1. You must submit your provincially approved club name and 2022 license number.
2. You will need to complete the medical questionnaire (will be supplied via email after entering the event).
3. You will need to upload your Covid-19 vaccine certificate/EVDS.
4. You will need to run at least 1 qualifying race between 1 September 2021 and 12 July 2022. All qualifying races must be ASA technically compliant and meet the Comrades Marathon qualifying criteria. Please see below qualifying table for official distances and qualifying times.

QUALIFYING TABLE

Failure to meet the above stipulated qualifying criteria will result in your entry being rejected.

You will not be able to participate, your details will be removed from our database, and you will NOT receive a goodie bag or runner’s t-shirt.

No seeding upgrades will be accepted after 12 July 2022 and particularly at Race Registration.

SEEDING BATCH 

All runners will be seeded according to their qualifying times. Runners who have improved their qualifying times after entering may upgrade their seeding by entering the race name and their qualifying time into their registration details on the Comrades Marathon website.

IRONMAN SEEDING TABLE

RUNNING KIT, SPONSORSHIP & ADVERTISING

Athletes must comply with WA Rule 8, 143 and ASA Rule 3. In order to qualify for a team prize, athletes must wear their club colours, as officially registered with their provincial federation.  THE TWO OFFICIAL 2022 COMRADES MARATHON RACE NUMBERS MUST BE WORN ON THE FRONT AND BACK OF YOUR UPPER BODY GARMENT THROUGHOUT THE RACE. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RULE WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.

Runners must familiarize themselves with and abide by the advertising rules as per the WA and ASA Rulebooks.

These provisions apply for the duration of the race including warming up, all race ceremonies and official press conferences. Under no circumstances may a runner display a political slogan in any matter or form.

SECONDING\PHYSICAL ASSISTANCE

The no mobile seconding rule will be very strictly enforced. No seconds may drive, cycle, or run alongside any athlete on the route. The stand and hand rule, whereby a runner’s seconds may stand at designated points on the route and hand refreshments to their athlete while they remain stationary, will apply. No seconds may travel on the route. No pacing will be permitted. Any transgressions will lead to disqualification. Any athlete being found carried along the route and/or before the finish line will be liable for disqualification. (WA Rule 144).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ENTRY

Entries can be confirmed on the Comrades Marathon website www.comrades.com by viewing the “Entry List” (on the home page) or login to your entry profile using your unique username and password supplied during the entry process. Entries will also be acknowledged to valid e-mail addresses and/or by SMS as supplied on your entry form.

It is your personal responsibility to check your details and confirmation of entry. If any of the details are incorrect, login to your entry profile using your username and password supplied and correct your details or contact the CMA office. Print out your entry confirmation email as this will be required at Race Registration.

NUMBER COLLECTION

You must collect your two Comrades Marathon race numbers, race t-shirt and Goodie Bag from the registration venue you have indicated on your entry form.

All runners MUST provide acceptable proof of identification to collect their race number pack e.g., ID book/card, Passport or Driver’s License, along with your race entry confirmation.

NO race numbers will be issued on race day

 REGISTRATION VENUE

If you are unable to collect your race number package, a third party may collect this on your behalf provided they have the following:

A printed copy of your entry confirmation email, a signed letter of authorization from the entrant and a certified copy of your ID and the entrants ID. The person collecting the race number package must have acceptable proof of identification to collect the race number pack e.g., ID book/card, Passport or Driver’s License.

Runners may not claim their registration package after race registration closes. These items will not be posted to you and no refunds will be processed.

BUS TICKETS

Bus tickets from Durban to the start in Pietermaritzburg and from the finish in Durban back to Pietermaritzburg after the race will be available for sale at both registration venues. No tickets will be available on race day. Further information will be provided in the Final Race Instructions and on the Comrades Marathon website www.comrades.com once available.

TIME LIMITS & CUT-OFFS

The race is run from “mat to mat”. The cut-off times for the below points will be confirmed in the final race instructions. The CMA reserves the right to alter these positions and times.

Runners will be required to board a bailer bus and be transported to the finish venue should they not have reached the cut-off points within the specified time.

The cut-off points will be clearly sign posted

The final cut-off is 12 hours (17h30). If you have not reached the Finish before the 12-hour cut-off, you must leave the route and retire from the race immediately. Failure to do so will jeopardise your participation in future years.

FINAL RACE INSTRUCTIONS

Your Final Race Instructions form part of the rules of the race and will be emailed to you, available on the Comrades Marathon website www.comrades.com and will be included in your race pack. All rules included in the Final Race Instructions supersede the Entry Form rules.

AWARDS & INFORMATION

GENERAL AWARDS

Badges and Medals will be awarded to all official finishers who complete the full distance within the 12-hour cut-off.

PRIZE MONEY

BEST “DOWN RUN” TIME

Should the Winners (man and woman) of the 2022 Comrades Marathon break the Best Time previously recorded for the “Down Run”, he or she will receive a cash payment of R 260 000,00

THE BEST “DOWN RUN” TIME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED

05:18:19 by David Gatebe in 2016

05:54:43 by Frith Van der Merwe in 1989

AGE CATEGORIES

An athlete is not eligible for a prize in more than one age category, i.e., an athlete is only eligible for a prize in the age category applicable to him/her or the younger category chosen by him/her provided he/she is wearing the relevant ASA approved age category tag. An athlete, male or female, who finishes the race in first to tenth position, may, however, win his/ her position prize as well as any applicable age category prize.

Unless you specifically request in writing to CMA organisers to change your age category to a lower age category, by 12 July 2022, you will be entered in the age category of your chronological age. Appropriate ASA approved numerical age category tags must be worn on the front and back of the upper body garment and be clearly visible.

An athlete must provide positive identification to verify proof of age. These rules apply to both individual and team categories.

AGE CATEGORY PRIZES

TEAM COMPETITION

All team prizes will be calculated on the combined times of the first four (4) club members to finish in the 20-39 category and the first four (4) club members to finish in the 40+ category. In order to qualify for a team prize an athlete must compete wearing officially registered club colours. The domicile rule will be strictly enforced.

Team prizes and rules pertaining to the awarding thereof will be detailed in the Final Race Instructions. Only valid for South African citizens.

TEAM PRIZES

SOUTH AFRICAN RUNNERS

The first South African citizen (man and woman) to complete the event will each receive a cash payment of R 100 000,00.

KWAZULU-NATAL ATHLETE

The first KwaZulu-Natal athlete (man and woman) to complete the event will each receive

R 50 000,00 from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport and Recreation.

A KwaZulu – Natal athlete shall be defined as an athlete domiciled in the province of KwaZulu–Natal, and licensed by KwaZulu–Natal Athletics, but includes any athlete domiciled in KwaZulu–Natal who is registered on the current ASA National Athlete List, and who may be licensed in another province.

PRIZE MONEY & AWARDS

All prizes including prize money, trophies and/or special medals will only be issued once Doping Control results have been received and subject to clearance. All prize money is subject to South African tax laws and may take up to 3 months to process.

OFFICIAL CHARITY

The Comrades Marathon Amabeadibeadi Campaign consists of six official charities namely:

CHOC (Childhood Cancer Foundation of South Africa), Community Chest Durban & Pietermaritzburg, Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust, Hospice Association of South Africa, Rise Against Hunger and Wildtrust.

RACE – 4 – CHARITY

The Race – 4 – Charity campaign is intended to foster wider support for charitable fundraising for the CMA’s six official charities. An exciting facet to this campaign is that runners can improve their seeding batch, while raising funds for a good cause. The CMA has reserved 500 entries for runners, who need to raise a minimum of R 6000.00 each. This will ensure that they get to start in the “Charity” batch near the front of the field on race day. To create a fundraising page, log into your entry profile via the Comrades Marathon website and navigate to the Products and Charities page. Encourage your family, friends, co-workers, and supporters to donate and leave messages of motivation on your fundraising page via the Comrades Marathon website. Runners get to choose which of the six Amabeadibeadi charities they would like to support. Runners will have until 12 July 2022 to sign up and raise funds. Please note that normal race rules still apply and there are no refunds, should a runner fail to qualify or raise the minimum amount.

For more information and details on our charity initiative, please visit www.comrades.com

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

• ALL Entrants are required to submit their COVID 19 Vaccine Certificate and/or EVDS number by the cut-off date of 12 July 2022.
• Based on current legislation entrants will need to adhere to all Safety and Health protocols including the wearing of a face mask/buff, sanitizing at all times and do the required temperature check that will be made available when entering the race registration venue, any meetings, and/or any other gatherings before the Start of the race.
• Wearing of a face mask/buff will not be required once you have crossed the start line and until crossing the finish line.
• The event will have an appointed Covid-19 Compliance Officer.

Should the South African Government enforce an adjusted Alert Level before the race, entrants will be updated in due time and will need to adhere to all regulations in place on race day.