Cape Town has been chosen to host the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, marking the first time the global event will take place in Africa. The championships will run from 6 to 10 October 2027, with Table Mountain providing the dramatic backdrop.
Image used for illustrative purposes/Brian Erickson/Unsplash
The city secured the bid through a joint application by Golazo South Africa, Athletics South Africa, and Western Province Athletics as confirmed by World Athletics.
Known for staging major events such as the Cape Town Marathon and the Two Oceans Marathon, the Mother City will now welcome some of the world’s best mountain and trail runners.
Organisers say the event will showcase Africa’s potential in off-road running while inspiring a new generation of athletes on the continent. Runners will tackle steep ascents and descents on Table Mountain and Lion’s Head, navigating varied terrain that ranges from rugged, technical trails to fast descents. Alongside the challenges, participants will be rewarded with sweeping views of the city, the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding mountains.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe welcomed the announcement:
“It is always exciting when a major athletics event is staged in a new continent for the first time, and this is no exception. Cape Town hosting the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships marks not only an exciting opportunity for the local area, but also for the sport as a whole.
“This will be the fifth global athletics event held in Africa within a 10-year period, and I have every faith that Cape Town will prove to be spectacular hosts of these championships.”
The championships are a merger of the World Mountain Running Championships, first held in 1985, and the World Trail Championships, introduced in 2007. They combined in 2021 under a biennial format. Recent editions have been staged in Chiang Mai, Innsbruck-Stubai and, later this year, Canfranc-Pirineos, Spain.
About 1,200 athletes from more than 80 countries are expected to compete across four senior races – classic (up and down), uphill, short trail, and long trail – as well as a U20 race. In addition, mass participation and side events will attract thousands of amateur runners.
In a joint statement, Tomo Sarf, Nadeem Khan and Janet Ng – presidents of the World Mountain Running Association, the International Association of Ultrarunners and the International Trail Running Association – said:
“On behalf of the partnership of the World Mountain Running Association, the International Association of Ultrarunners and the International Trail Running Association, we are delighted to bring the fourth World Mountain and Trail Running Championships to Africa.
“The sensational views of Cape Town and Table Mountain will form a fitting backdrop to the WMTRC 27 and we are sure it will build on the forthcoming WMTRC 25 in Canfranc, Spain.
“Cape Town has had plenty of success from being the host of a number of prestigious international events and we are looking forward to enjoying the races on Table Mountain and the hospitality of the Cape. The standard of the bids for the event was very high and we also thank all those who took the time to submit their interest in hosting the event.”
Local leaders hailed the decision as a boost for the Western Cape’s sporting profile and economy.
Ricardo Mackenzie, Western Cape’s Provincial Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, said:
“The Western Cape Government is delighted to welcome this exciting event to Cape Town. This continues to show that the Western Cape Government is fast becoming the hub for major sporting events.
“Events of this nature bring a boost to our local economy and assist in creating many jobs. We can’t wait to welcome runners for this event to our picturesque city, where we offer some of the best views for mountain and trail running.”
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis added:
“We are so excited for the mountain and trail running world to descend on Cape Town in 2027 for the very first African staging of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. There is surely no better backdrop to this prestigious event than our very own Wonder of the Natural World, the iconic Table Mountain.
“But runners should not be fooled by her beauty and her fame – Table Mountain’s rugged trails and steep elevations will pose a stern challenge to elite runners and mass participants alike. I cannot wait to welcome this wonderful event to Cape Town in October 2027, and to show the world why the Mother City is rightly considered one of the mass participation sports capitals of the world.”
Bob Verbeeck, CEO of Golazo, the event’s delivery partner, said hosting the championships is a milestone for both Cape Town and his company.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have been awarded the opportunity to host these World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2027. Following events like the Diamond League, the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet in Nairobi, and the European Road Running Championships in Belgium – along with many other athletics and (trail) running events – this marks not only an exciting new milestone for our company, but also for Cape Town and South Africa.
“It also represents an important step forward for Golazo as we open a new office in Cape Town around this time, paving the way for many more exciting running and sporting events in the near future.”
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