Cape Town will make history when the city hosts the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTRC) from October 6 to 10, marking the first time the global event will be staged in Africa.
The championships will also be the first World Athletics Championships in an athletics discipline to be held in South Africa since 1993. Hosted by Golazo South Africa, Athletics South Africa and Western Province Athletics, WMTRC Cape Town 2027 is expected to showcase the continent’s growing influence in global athletics, with the iconic Table Mountain providing a spectacular backdrop for the competition.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the event comes at a time when mountain and trail running is experiencing significant growth worldwide. “Mountain and trail running is experiencing a real boom, and the fourth staging of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships is another cause for celebration,” Coe said.
He added: “As the first World Mountain and Trail Running Championships to be hosted in Africa, this is an important milestone for our sport and one for which excitement continues to build now the event is only one year away.”
Coe said World Athletics was looking forward to a successful championship that would bring together the world’s leading elite athletes and mass-participation runners for a festival of off-road running.
World Mountain Running Association president Sarah Rowell, International Association of Ultrarunners president Nadeem Khan and International Trail Running Association president Janet Ng said preparations were progressing well.
“As event partners, we have been impressed by the professionalism of the local organising committee, and we continue to work closely with them to deliver a successful event in October 2027,” they said.
The championship programme will feature five disciplines for both men and women: Uphill, Classic, Classic U20, Short Trail and Long Trail. Athletics South Africa acting chief executive Terrence Magogodela said the country was proud to be part of the historic occasion.
“With one year to go, Athletics South Africa is proud to be part of a historic moment as we prepare to welcome the world to the first World Mountain and Trail Running Championships ever hosted in Africa,” Magogodela said.
“Cape Town 2027 provides an extraordinary opportunity to showcase South Africa’s athletes, landscapes and hospitality, while creating a lasting legacy for mountain and trail running across our country and continent.”
He added that Athletics South Africa was committed to preparing a competitive national team through its national championships and selection process.
Beyond the battle for world titles, the championships aim to leave a lasting legacy through athlete development, increased participation and international exposure.
Hosting the event in Africa is also expected to boost the sport across the continent, opening up opportunities for more runners to experience mountain and trail running while showcasing Africa’s exceptional off-road destinations to a global audience.
