There are races that test speed. There are races that test endurance. But the SPAR Women’s Challenge, turning 35 this year, is the kind of race that transforms—a kaleidoscope of resilience, unity, and purpose pounding the Durban pavement in unison. This Sunday, 12 000 women will lace up not just for fitness or fun, but to honour a legacy of progress stitched into every kilometre of the SPAR Women’s movement.
What began in 1990 as a single event has become the world’s largest women-only street race series, an extraordinary odyssey of empowerment stretching across South Africa. Now, in its 35th year, the Durban edition—where it all began—is not merely a birthday bash, but a sold-out spectacle that celebrates every woman who dares to run, walk, or dance her way through the course.
“Flat but Never Monotonous”
Race director Brad Glasspoole describes the 10km route as deceptively dynamic:
There’s a fine line between ‘flat and fast’ and ‘monotonous’. This route has slight elevation loss and gain, which keeps it interesting and is good for the athletes.
Indeed, like womanhood itself, this route may seem level, but it dips and rises with unseen effort—never boring, always challenging, and persistently beautiful. Starting on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and finishing on the outer fields of Hollywood Kings Park Stadium, the path is less a racetrack than a runway for a revolution.
The Elite Pack: Powerhouses in Motion
This anniversary edition will be no cakewalk. Glenrose Xaba, the reigning Grand Prix champion and South Africa’s middle-distance darling, arrives in red-hot form. She already claimed victory in Cape Town earlier this year and clocked a sizzling 15:10.42 in a 5000m track event in France. Xaba, who last year became the first South African to win the SPAR Grand Prix since international athletes were admitted in 2019, aims to become the third runner, after Rene Kalmer and Irvette van Zyl, to win the title three times.
Chasing Xaba’s shadow will be Selem Gebre of Ethiopia, second in Cape Town and overall runner-up last year, and rising star Karabo Mailula, who finished third in that same race. Add to that the ever-gritty Cacisile Sosibo, and the legendary Phalula twins—Diana-Lebo and Lebogang—and you’ve got a start line that crackles with promise.
If elite runners are the thunderclap, the other 11,990 women are the storm: teachers, nurses, students, mothers—each one a warrior in sneakers.
A Race that runs deeper than roads
But what truly distinguishes the SPAR Women’s Challenge isn’t just the athleticism—it’s the advocacy.
This multi-faceted approach ensures that the races that form part of the Grand Prix series not only promote physical well-being but also contribute to a safer and more equitable society for women in South Africa.
This year’s Durban leg partners with the Sinethemba Women’s Foundation in Inanda. Funds raised will support women in vulnerable communities with business skills, career guidance, and menstrual hygiene support—a crucial step in SPAR’s goal to end period poverty by 2030.
By supporting organisations like Sinethemba. SPAR is investing in a future where women are safe, empowered and have the necessary resources they need to thrive.
So each stride on Sunday becomes a step toward dismantling inequality, each heartbeat another drumbeat in the march against gender-based violence.
Prize wheels and turning points
The event doesn’t just celebrate the fastest—it embraces fortune. Every participant stands a chance to drive home in a Hyundai Exter SUV, courtesy of Hyundai South Africa.
We congratulate the SPAR Durban Challenge on 35 years of women empowerment through sport, while inspiring the next generation of champions. We are proud to offer our stunning Exter as a prize for the SPAR Women’s Challenge.
Whether or not you win the car, by crossing that finish line, you’ve already won something bigger: a memory, a mission, a moment. We are proud to offer our stunning Exter as a prize for the SPAR Women’s Challenge.
A living legacy in motion
At 35, this race has become a matriarch of movements, a living metaphor for the feminine spirit. It’s the hum of 12 000 soles syncing to one rhythm. It’s a river of pink and determination flowing through the heart of Durban. It’s not just a race—it’s a ritual.
From mothers running beside daughters to seasoned pros burning up the tarmac, the SPAR Women’s Challenge remains proof that when women run together, the world shifts.
And as the sun rises on Sunday, Durban won’t just witness a race. It will witness a celebration of strength that’s been 35 years in the making—and still gaining momentum.
