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South Africa · Road marathon · 42.195 km

aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon

Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

Jacaranda City Challenge is a road marathon through Pretoria’s Moot, where jacaranda-lined streets provide a recognisable spring setting. For 2026, the race moves to Rietondale High School and uses a course the organiser describes as flat, completed over two laps. Faranani Athletics Club and Sportsvendo present the event, with a six-hour marathon limit. The full distance requires advance entry: race-morning registration for the shorter events is no help if you have trained for all 42.2 kilometres.

Official race website How to enterPast races & results

AthRecs race guide · Updated

Upcoming dates

Planning your race weekend? These are the announced dates through 2027. Follow the organiser’s link for the latest date and race-day details. All dates and start times are local.

At a glance

City / location
Pretoria
Province
Gauteng
Distance
42.195 kilometres / 26.2 miles
Surface
Road
Course profile
The organiser describes the 2026 course as flat.
Approximate field
About 3,400Finishers · 2025

Rounded from 3,443 full-marathon finishers in The Running Mann’s 2025 statistics; the half marathon and shorter races are excluded.

How to enter aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon

These are the organiser’s entry routes. Check the linked page for the edition, opening dates, eligibility, fees and current availability.

Online pre-entry

Enter the marathon through Entry Ninja. For 2026, pre-entries close on 21 October or earlier if sold out. The 42.2km has no late or race-day entries.

Official entry information

Paper entry at participating running shops

The 2026 flyer offers hand-delivered forms at The Sweat Shop in Dunkeld West, Run-A-Way Sport in Lynnwood Ridge and Tshwane Running Shop in Sinoville. Hand-delivery entries close on 19 October.

Official entry information

Route and course

Two laps through the Moot in Pretoria. The 2026 start and finish move to Rietondale High School, at the corner of 18th Avenue and Pierneef Street.

Official 2026 course and general information2026 venue and race information

Race-day planning

Check which edition each detail applies to before making your plans. Follow the linked instructions for the latest arrangements.

2026 marathon start and cutoff
06:00 start, with a six-hour time limit; minimum age 20. 2026 marathon start and cutoff information
2026 race-number collection
Rietondale High School on 22–23 October, 11:00–18:00, or from 04:30 on race morning for runners already entered. 2026 race-number collection information
2026 entry and licence
Standard marathon pre-entry is R390. A temporary licence costs R70 where required. 2026 entry and licence information
Timing and support
The timing chip is attached to the race number. Bag storage is available at the venue. Timing and support information

Past races and results

Official results archive

Open the organiser’s results to find a runner, club or published category standing. At festivals with several distances, select the marathon results.

2025 aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon

Full 2025 results

The 2025 marathon started at Rietondale Park before the venue change planned for 2026. Nedbank Running Club’s report highlights Bright Mikolongwe’s third place and Estrelita Kotze’s fourth, while its athlete profiles record Ingrid Koster’s age-group victory. These are selected marathon performances from the club’s published reports.

Men

Nedbank Running Club reports Bright Mikolongwe third in the marathon in 2:27:11.

View result details

Women

Nedbank Running Club reports Estrelita Kotze fourth in the marathon in 3:08:59.

View result details

Women 50–59

Ingrid Koster’s club profile records first place in her age category in 3:17:26.

View result details

2024 aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon

Full 2024 results

Benoni Northern Sports Club celebrated two top-ten women’s marathon finishes at the 2024 Jacaranda City Challenge. Kaitlyn Bubb and Alison de Bruin finished less than two minutes apart. The club also reported first marathons and qualifying runs among its members.

Women

Benoni Northern Sports Club records Kaitlyn Bubb seventh in 3:19:22 and Alison de Bruin ninth in 3:20:54 over 42.2km.

View result details

Race news, photos and video

Common questions

When is aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon?

Confirmed upcoming dates: 24 Oct 2026. Dates are local to the race.

How do I enter aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon?

Online pre-entry: Enter the marathon through Entry Ninja. For 2026, pre-entries close on 21 October or earlier if sold out. The 42.2km has no late or race-day entries. Paper entry at participating running shops: The 2026 flyer offers hand-delivered forms at The Sweat Shop in Dunkeld West, Run-A-Way Sport in Lynnwood Ridge and Tshwane Running Shop in Sinoville. Hand-delivery entries close on 19 October.

Where is aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon and how far is it?

aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon takes place in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. This guide covers the 42.195 km full marathon (26.2 miles). Surface: Road

What is the aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon course like?

Two laps through the Moot in Pretoria. The 2026 start and finish move to Rietondale High School, at the corner of 18th Avenue and Pierneef Street. The organiser describes the 2026 course as flat.

How big is the field at aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon?

The approximate field is About 3,400, based on Finishers for 2025. Rounded from 3,443 full-marathon finishers in The Running Mann’s 2025 statistics; the half marathon and shorter races are excluded. Entrants, starters and finishers are different measures.

Where can I find past aQuellé Jacaranda City Challenge Marathon results?

The past races and results section links to the organiser’s results. Select the distance and edition for participant searches and published category standings.

Sources and race information

AthRecs is independent of the race organiser. This guide brings together the linked race information, results and reports. Source review: . Historical details are labelled by edition; current entry availability and final instructions remain with the organiser.

More marathons in South Africa

Compare the route and scale of another race. Options in the same region appear first when available.

  • African Bank Soweto Marathon

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    Challenging urban marathon; consult the next edition’s route information for the final layout.

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  • Balwin Sport Pretoria Marathon

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    Hilly, with repeated climbing at altitude; the organiser describes a setting around 1,555 metres above sea level.

    Next date: TBC

    Approximate field: About 1,700 (Recorded finishers, 2026)

  • Cape Gate Vaal Marathon

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    Flat, at Gauteng altitude; the organiser cautions that the course still requires sustained effort.

    Next date: TBC

    Approximate field: About 1,300 (Finishers, 2026)

  • Johannesburg City Marathon

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    Hilly in the documented 2024 layout; a current elevation profile has not been published here.

    Next date: TBC

    Approximate field: About 1,300 (Finishers, 2026)

More road marathons in South Africa