Amashova National Classic 2026: SA's Oldest Road Race Turns 40

The 106 km Classic sets off outside Pietermaritzburg City Hall under the Comrades Gantry and follows the old road to the coast — through Thornville, Camperdown, Cato Ridge and Inchanga, past the Comrades Marathon Wall of Honour and Kearsney College, over Botha’s Hill and down through Hillcrest onto the M13, before the celebrated Fields Hill descent, the N3 and a finish on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue near People’s Park in Durban.

Because it drops from the Midlands (Pietermaritzburg sits around 650 m) almost to sea level, it’s one of the fastest mass-participation road races in the country. The 70 km starts at Camperdown Spar and the 40 km at Westown Square in Shongweni — both join the run into Durban. See the full calendar entry on our Amashova race page.

The 106 km route has six water points, with medical support at every one plus the start and finish.

Amashova’s proceeds back the Road Safety Bike Parks programme, which builds custom cycle tracks, donates bikes and delivers bilingual road-safety materials at disadvantaged schools. Three parks have been built along the route — at Inchanga, Cato Ridge and Thornville — turning the race into a year-round community project rather than a one-day event.