Knysna Forest Marathon 

ENTRIES 

• Race Date: 04 JULY 2026.
• Compulsory Registration: 03 JULY 2026 between 10:00 and 22:00
• Online entries only. No Postal, fax or telephone entries will be accepted.
• No entries will be sold at registration or on race day.
• Online entries available at www.knysnaforestmarathon.co.za.
• To enter you will be required to create a profile.
• Please ensure correct entry of your Email address and contact number as this is used for all communications. 

Do not create alternative login profiles.

If you lose your login details, follow the recovery procedure on the website.

• Entries will be limited to 1 250 for the full marathon, and 6500 for the half marathon.
• Charity Entries: Charity entries will be on sale from 01 December 2025 until they are sold out. There are 250 Half and 100 Full Marathon entries available. These can be bought by anyone, should you wish to avoid disappointment. Charity entries will cost R790 for the Half Marathon and R840 for the full marathon, excluding Temp license, this will include a special gift at registration.
• Loyalty Entries – All 2025 runners will have first choice to enter the 2026 Event.  Loyalty entries open on 12 JANUARY 2026. Your ID number will be compared to our list to be able to make an entry.
• General Online entries – Open on 26 January 2026, and will close when the limit has been reached, or on 24 May 2026.
• Half Marathon Cost R290.00
• Full Marathon Cost R340.00
• Event T-shirt cost R240 (short) & R270.00 (long)

T-Shirts must be collected in person and will not be handed to third parties.

T-shirts not collected on Registration Day will be sold on race day towards Charity.  No T Shirts will be kept or distributed after the event.

• Runners who are not licensed by ASA will need to purchase a temporary license available with online entry at a cost of R50.00.
• Payment options available are Card and EFT.

Please follow payment instructions closely. If paid by EFT the exact amount and the reference provided must be used.

PLEASE NOTE: payment must be made within 24 hours of entry otherwise the entry will lapse.

CONFIRMATION OF ENTRIES

• Confirmation of your entry will be emailed once payment has been successful.
• Your race numbers will be confirmed Mid-June by email to all entrants.

This race number confirmation must be produced at registration along with proof of ID.

• RACE CHARITIES
  Our designated race charities for 2026 are:
  NSRI
• KNYSNA CHILD WELFARE
• KNYSNA “DIE WERKS WINKEL”
• HANDS & HEARTS ORGANIZATION

Knysna Marathon Club takes great care each year in selecting our event Charities, as we operate in a small community and do know of the great needs that exist.  Your compassion in including that something extra each year with your entry fee is sincerely welcomed by our selected Charities.  The donations you make as well as the proceeds from the sale of the Charity tickets get split between these Charities for 2026.

Clothing collection is destined to become the biggest of its kind in the country and your gifts of clothing collected at Registration as well as along the race routes make sure our underprivileged communities stay warm during the coldest part of winter.   Please do not hand clothing directly to the local community.  It only draws massive amounts of non-runners to the area resulting in Security risks and the clothes do not end up where it is needed most.  We do have a properly organized distribution program managed by Knysna Marathon Club that collect and properly distribute the clothing where the need is highest.

SUBSTITUTIONS

• The Knysna Forest Marathon will accept substitutions for the 2026 race during the substitution window period of 26 JANUARY – 24 MAY 2026.
• How it works:
  Entrants will have the opportunity to withdraw from the race during the window period of 24 JANUARY – 24 MAY 2026.
• An Admin Fee of 15% of the entry fee will be deducted from the withdrawing athlete and a refund of 85% will be made to athletes that are successfully substituted.
• Substitutions can only take place through the portal.
• No late substitutions will be accepted after this date.
• There will be no money or voucher exchange between athletes.

REGISTRATION

• The registration and finish venue are on the Knysna High School Sports Field on Waterfront Drive.
• Registration and number collection will be open from l0h00 to 22h00 on Friday 03 JULY 2026 (This is subject to change)
• There will be no registration or number collection on Saturday morning.  No exceptions. 
• The race number confirmation together with positive Photo identification such as an ID book or a driver license must be produced at registration.
• NO POSITIVE ID, NO RACE PACK.
• T-shirts not collected in Person at Registration will be sold on behalf of our Charities on the Saturday.  No T-shirts will be posted or kept for entrants not collected Registration.
• At registration you will receive your race number (with timing chip), t-shirt (if ordered), and final instructions.
• The race number contains a tear-off section with the words “taxi” which must be torn off and handed to the loading staff on Saturday morning to be transported to the race start.  Do not tear off until needed as it cannot be replaced, and you will not be able to get to the start venue.
• The top tear off on your race number can be securely attached to your tog bag for handing in at the transport trucks at the Race start (see Route).  Due to the nature of the service provided we do not accept responsibility for the bag or valuables placed in them.
• ASA registered runners as well as Temporary runners will be provided with two personalized event number bibs that must be worn on the front and back of the vest and be always visible during the event. No advertising allowed.

ROUTE

• The taxi pickup point to the start is from Vigilance Drive as per the map on the website.
• Parking is available at Loerie-park and along George Rex Drive.
• Entry into the Taxi Loading area is only available from the George Rex Drive Direction.
• Taxis leave from Vigilance Drive from 04h30 onwards, last pick up is 06h30 DO NOT BE LATE! Please comply with the final instructions in your race pack.
• A tog bag vehicle will be on hand to transport your tog bag back to the finish venue. Please do not leave any valuable items in your tog bag.  Bags will be available for collection from l0h00 in the main Registration area.
• There will be free tea, coffee and biscuits for all athletes served in the Bedouin tent.
• The 42.2km starts at 07h00 and the 21.1km starts at 08h00.
• The timing starts at the firing of the starter pistol and when you cross the start line. THE RACE IS MAT TO MAT.
• Maps of the 21km and 42km routes are available from the website
• Water and other suitable refreshments will be provided at approximately 3km intervals on the route as well as at the start and finish.

PLEASE TRY THROW YOUR SACHETS IN THE BINS PROVIDED OR AS CLOSE TO A MARKER TO ENSURE THE CLEANLINESS OF OUR FOREST.

• Distance markers will be placed on the right-hand side of the route at every km

• Course use: On all dirt road sections as well as tarred sections not demarcated, the runners must keep to the right-hand side of the road to allow passage of emergency vehicles and landowners, unless instructed differently by the marshals and Traffic Officers
• Cut-off time: 1km = 3 ½ hrs.
• Cut-off time: 2 km= 5 ½ hrs.

(NOTE: This race is NOT a comrades qualifier)

• Runners still out on the route after the cutoff times might be picked up and returned to the finish venue due to the opening of traffic lanes and withdrawing of event support.

AFTER THE RACE /  FINISH

• To celebrate the 41^th running of the event a unique indigenous timber shield will be available to the first 200 finishers in the 42.2km; silver medals for the first 800 finishers and bronze medals for the rest
• All 21km finishers will receive a bronze medal.
• Permanent numbers will be awarded to the runners completing their 10th 42.2km.

• Prize giving

21.1km prize giving @ 12:30pm

42.2km prize giving at 13:00pm.

• You must be present to be eligible for the lucky draw prizes. The organizers decision is final in awarding the lucky draw prizes.
• Prize and Lucky draw Money will be paid to your bank account by way of EFT.
• Prize Money will only be paid out once the race results have been verified.
• Appeals contesting results and prize money need to be lodged with in half hour after conclusion of Prize giving.  The head referee will be in attendance behind the prize giving stage.
• Athletes are responsible to collect their own prize money or make a written arrangement before Prize giving commences, with the Event Organizer failing which prize money is forfeited. (ASA Rule 2.10)
• A free Taxi Shuttle service will be provided to get the runners from the Finish back to the Taxi Pick up point near Loerie Park.
• Toilets will be available at the race start and at the Finish venue.