2025 is a milestone year for SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge

Durban SPAR Women’s 10 / 5km Challenge – Celebrating 35 years in 2025
Durban: Sunday 22 June

2025 is a milestone year for the iconic SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge, which celebrates its 35th running in Durban on Sunday 22 June.

Over the 34 years, the women’s race has enjoyed encouraging 369,406 participants to share a morning running around Durban’s scenic spots. In 1990, the year the race was started, 2,200 participants took part, with the biggest field of 17,607 competing in 2015. In 1990 South Africa's Colleen de Reuck took the top podium in a time of 34:16, and last year Tadu Nare from Ethiopia took the honours with an impressive record time of 31:14.

This year the field is capped at 12,000 with the 10km getting underway at 8am and the 5km starting at 8.45am.

“For 35 years, we have proudly sponsored women’s running races, championing health, empowerment, and community spirit, and it all began here in KZN,” says Menelisi Luthuli, SPAR KZN Marketing Director. ”This long-standing commitment has provided women with a space to set achievable goals, celebrate their fitness, and personal achievements, and do so with camaraderie. Beyond the race, SPAR’s support has inspired generations of women to lead active, confident lives – many reasons for our theme of #Twenty20Thrive this year.”
The #Twenty20Thrive builds on the idea of self-prioritization, growth, and investing in personal well-being with a commitment to thrive in all areas of life.

The 2025 race follows the unchanged fast and flat route with an out-and-back course starting along Masabala Yengwa Avenue, near the Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium, with the race concluding on the outer fields of the rugby grounds. Special entertainment will be laid on at the finish, with many lucky draw prizes to be won including a Hyundai Exter 1.2 Premium MT to the value of R269,900.

For competitive runners, the Durban race forms part of the SPAR Grand Prix series which offers R185,000 in race category prizes. The top three athletes will net a total of R78,000, with the first across the line earning R33,000, the second placed lady R25,000 and the third R20,000.


Online entries are open until midnight on Youth Day, 16 June, or until the limit of 12,000 is reached. Online entry fees are R180 for both the 5km and 10km events. Social runners entering the 10km event and not in possession of a 2025 ASA licence number will be required to purchase a temp licence for R55. Bulk entries of 10 or more participants are available for corporate teams, social teams, and schools via the online entry link and close on Friday 6 June. Late entry at the Race Pack collection will cost R200 for both 10km and 5km events.

With the Cape Town leg of the SPAR Women’s Challenge series sold out 5 weeks before the event, KwaZulu-Natal entrants are encouraged to enter early to avoid disappointment.

Race pack collections will be at the Kings Park Stadium Outer Fields on Friday 20 June from 10am to 6pm and on Saturday 21 June from 10am to 4pm.

R5 from each entry will be donated to the Sinethemba Women’s Foundation based in Matabetule near Inanda Dam. The official race charity advocates for an end to gender-based violence. The organisation strives to create sustainable programmes that improves the lives of women, girls and youth from indigent communities.

For more info, visit www.spar.run or like the race’s social media.

 

Top image by Val Adamson: 

Making strides.
Pacing each other ahead of the 35th running of the Durban SPAR Women’s 10 / 5km Challenge on Sunday 22 June are Cindy Watridge (SPAR KZN Omni Channel Retail Operations Manager); Natasha Jeebodh (SPAR KZN Development Design Manager); race day entertainer, Jane Magner from Veranda Panda; Nozipho Mkhize (SPAR KZN Advertising & Sponsorship Manager) and Precious Mthembu (SPAR KZN Race Ambassador and Former SPAR Protea’s Netball star, SPAR Baby Proteas Head Coach and teacher).