Sports Network Africa, the Sports Streaming and Video Content platform linked to the sports news site, SPNAfricanews.com, will be streaming the Sanlam Cape Town Virtual Marathon, live, across Africa (outside South Africa) and around the world, on October 18, 2020.
SPNAfrica CEO and co-founder, Robin Petersen, said he was thrilled that SPNAfrica would be hosting the live stream.
“The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is a global event which is perfectly suited for our global, Pan-African streaming and content portal. We are delighted that the SCTM will be visible to the running community across the continent and the world,” Petersen said.
The marathon, which sports a unique app sponsored by Sanlam and specially designed to provide a “Cape Town” ambience to runners competing virtually from across the world, is the only World Athletics Gold event on the African continent. The Sanlam VIrtual Cape Town Marathon was also one of the first marathons to announce it would go virtual after the worldwide coronavirus pandemic struck.
As with the London Marathon, the Cape Town Marathon includes a “real” elite component with South Africa’s leading marathoners racing simultaneously in three cities, Cape Town, Potchefstroom and Pretoria.
A science-based altitude factor will be applied to those racing at altitude to ensure a level playing field for all.
Barry Van Blerk, General Manager of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, said live streaming, which makes the event more accessible to race fans around the world, was icing on the cake for race organisers in the exciting build-up to the race.”We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved with the roll-out of the app, which ensures the virtual participation of runners around the world. Now, fans will be able to follow the runners, including three groups of elite runners in three cities, as well as those running virtually, as they run. This will be a novel experience for runners and viewers alike. Ensuring that live coverage is streamed around the world is the cherry on top for us.”
The live stream, available at www.spnafrica.com will present action updates from all three centres as well as providing virtual run statistics and timings from South Africa and around the world. The high-quality, over-the-internet video “stream” is optimised for mobile devices as well as larger screens.
Sports Network Africa looks forward to expanding the reach of the Cape Town Marathon and its partners by providing sports fans across Africa and around the world with an exciting and unique media experience.