SPAR Womens 10/5km Challenge 2026 Maritzburg logo

SPAR Womens 10/5km Challenge 2026 Maritzburg

Sunday 23 August 2026 | 08:00 AM

Get ready for the SPAR Women's Challenge Maritzburg 2026, taking place on Sunday, 23 August! With both 10km and 5km out-and-back routes starting on Princess Margaret Drive and finishing at The Oval Cricket Stadium, this iconic event is open to runners and walkers alike. Limited to 4000 entries, all finishers will receive a T-shirt, goodie bag and medal. Female entrants also stand a chance to win lucky draw prizes. Whether you're racing for a personal best or just soaking up the vibrant atmosphere, this is a must-do event on the runners calendar. Enter online by 17 August 2026, no late entries at stores or via email will be accepted. 


Please note: As this is a Women’s race, the 10km distance is restricted to Female entrants ONLY.

General Information


DATE & TIME OF EVENTS CUT-OFF TIMES

Event    Time     Date     Cut-Off Time

10 km   08:00    Sunday, 23 August 2026            2hrs 30min

5 km     08:00    Sunday, 23 August 2026            50 minutes at 4.5km



FOREIGN ATHLETES

All foreign athletes must comply with WA Competition Rule 1.7 and Technical Rules 4.1 & 4.2, together with ASA Rule 9.

 

ENTRY OPTIONS

Online entries close on 17 August 2026.

Enter online at www.sparwomenschallenge.co.za using the following payment options:

CREDIT CARDS – Visa and MasterCard Credit and Debit Cards only. ALL Online payments must be received on or before Monday, 17 August 2026.


NO faxed or emailed entries will be accepted.

Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES will entry fees be REFUNDED.

NO SUBSTITUTIONS.

SPAR stores will NOT accept entries or entry forms.


BULK ENTRIES

If you are entering 10 or more people click “Buy Bulk Entries” above. Bulk entries must be done electronically as per instructions from the Race Office. No entries will be accepted via email. Bulk entries must be collected by the team co-ordinator. Please note that entries will not be processed until payment has been received.

Bulk entries close on Monday, 10 August 2026.

 

ENTER AT THE OVAL CRICKET STADIUM

Manual entries will be accepted at The Oval Cricket Stadium on Saturday, 22 August from 10:00 - 15:00  (Subject to the 4000 limit not having been reached). Payment options at The Oval Cricket Stadium include Credit Card and Debit Card.

For security reasons, NO CASH will be accepted at Race Pack Collection / Registration.

Manual Entries will require the completion of entry information on the FinishTime Passport APP.

FinishTime Passport APP available at Google Play / Apple Store

 

LATE ENTRY FEES AT REGISTRATION

10km    Non-Licensed Entrant  R 250

 Plus,      Temp Licence Fee             R 60

10km    ASA Licensed Club Member     R 250

 5km      All Entrants       R 250


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ENTRIES

Confirmation of online entry can be checked at www.sparwomenschallenge.co.za/maritzburg. Please allow 24 hours for an entry to be processed onto the race management system. CLICK HERE TO CHECK ENTRY

 

RACE PACK COLLECTION

Please select which SPAR Store you would like to collect your Race Pack, which includes your Race Bib (number) and Race T-shirt, from

Date                                                Time

Saturday, 22 August 2026          10:00 to 16:00


COLLECTION POINTS

·       SUPERSPAR Greendale

·       SUPERSPAR Mega Edendale

·       SUPERSPAR Mega Parklane

·       SUPERSPAR Mills

·       SUPERSPAR Northway

·       SUPERSPAR Hilton Quarry

·       SPAR Nottingham Road

·       SPAR Breland (Dalton)

 

T-SHIRTS

4,000 T-shirts will be produced. While every effort is made to ensure that you receive the size shirt you indicate on your entry, this is not always possible. T-shirts will be issued on a first come first served basis at Race Pack Collection. All entrants will receive a T-shirt.

 

GOODIE BAGS

4,000 Goodie Bags will be produced. Goodie Bags will be issued at the finish of the event. All finishers will receive a Goodie Bag.


RACE BIBS & LICENCE NUMBERS

All participants must wear a SPAR Race Bib on the FRONT of their vest/shirt. For licensed athletes the SPAR Race Bib must only be placed over the numeric portion of the ASA license number. See ASA Rules. (NOT on the shorts – ASA/KZNA Rule).

10km licensed athletes are required to wear both ASA/KZN license numbers, front and back.

10km Temp license athletes will be required to wear a SPAR Race Bib, incorporating a TEMP number, on the front of the vest.

All numbers are to be clearly visible.

NOTE: 5km Fun Run/Walk participants do NOT require a Temp License.

 

TIMING

Your race bib has an electronic timing chip attached. Please ensure that your FULL SPAR Race Bib is visible and not tucked into a crop top, shirt or pull-over.

NO race bib, NO time, NO exceptions.

START, COURSE & FINISH VENUES

Both the 10km and 5km events routes are “out-and-back” starting in Princess Margaret Drive and finishing at The Oval, Cricket Stadium.

 

SEEDING

There will be a seeded start. Female licensed athletes in club kit will be given seeding preference for both the 10km and 5km events. Only female athletes will be permitted into the seeded batch.


GENERAL

NO personal seconding on route

NO vehicles

NO bicycles

NO trolleys

NO carts

NO pets on the route or in the finish venue

Mothers pushing prams will be directed to the back of the start batches – no exceptions.

 

LITTERING

WA Competition Rule 18.5 makes provision for a Race Referee to warn an athlete by showing a yellow card and exclusion by showing a red card; He (she) shall have authority to warn or exclude from competition, any athlete guilty of acting in an unsporting or improper manner. Warnings may be indicated to the athlete by showing a yellow card, exclusion by showing a red card. Warnings and exclusions shall be entered on the result card and communicated to the Competition Secretary and to the other Referees.

 

FINISHERS

All finishers will receive a Medal and a Goodie Bag.

 

APPEALS

An appeal to the Jury of Appeal must be made within 30 minutes of the official announcement of the decision made by the Referee, in writing, signed by the athlete or a responsible official on behalf of the athlete, and shall be accompanied by a deposit of R500, which will be forfeited if the appeal is not upheld.

 

PRIZING GIVING

The prize giving is scheduled to begin at 10:30. Age Category tags MUST be worn clearly on the front and back of your vest in order to qualify for age category prizes. These are available from your athletics club or from KwaZulu-Natal Athletics on 031 312 9374.

 

LUCKY DRAW PRIZES

All Female entrants in both the 10km and 5km Fun Run/Walk who are present at The Oval Cricket Stadium at official Prize Giving will qualify for lucky draw prizes. Only Females are eligible for lucky draw prizes. Lucky Draw Prizes are due to be drawn after Prize Giving on race day.

 

PARTICIPANT SUPPORTERS

This is a Women’s event. Genders other than Female who enter are NOT eligible for position or lucky draw prizes. Genders other than Female will receive no seeding preference and will not be permitted to finish within the top 20 positions.

 

RIGHTS RESERVED

Any irregularities in your entry form will result in your entry being returned to you. In the event that a returned entry is resubmitted after the 4000 cut off number has been reached that entry will not be accepted. An administration charge of R200 may be levied on amendments or alterations to an entry. Right of entry is reserved.

 

OFFICIAL CHARITY

Dlalanathi is a non-profit organisation that supports children, youth, and families affected by trauma, grief, and loss. Their work focuses on providing psychosocial support through play-based healing and emotional care.

 

RACE CONTACT INFO

The Race Office is managed by Finish Time Event Management.

Office hours: Monday to Friday (08:30 to 23:30)

Tel: 087 330 0001

Email: SPARPMB@FinishTime.co.za

Bulk Entries

Purchase event entries in bulk and distribute discount codes to your club, team, company, or group members.
Minimum purchase: 10 entries.
Recipients must still complete their own event registration using the issued code.

Enter with your discount code

Check whether your code is valid for this event and continue into registration with the correct category.

Cart available

Registrants can add multiple registrations to their cart before checking out.

Please note:
Standard rate is valid from Wednesday, 06 May 2026 - 00:00
Online Registration closes on Monday, 17 August 2026 - 00:00