A club with
a long stride
From a first Forest Marathon in 1984 to a thriving club on the Garden Route, this is the story of the people, races and places that shaped Knysna running.
Built around
the forest
The Knysna Marathon Club was formed in 1984, with the inaugural meeting held on 4 January. Among the founders was Malcolm Spence, the South African and World Record Holder over 400m in the late 1950s and early 1960s, who represented South Africa at the 1960 Rome Olympics and won a bronze medal.
Malcolm became the club's first Chairman. His committee included Mike Sass as Secretary, Pieter van Halderen as Treasurer, Saint Hayes as Club Captain, and Keith Toerien, Neels Joubert, Ron Taylor and Leon Fouche.
The first Forest Marathon
One of the club's main objectives was to stage the Forest Marathon as part of the first Knysna Oyster Festival, then known as the Knysna Winter Festival. The inaugural race took place on 14 July 1984, sponsored by Willards Foods, with total sponsorship of about R10 000.
A spirited club grows
Klive Krige was named the most spirited runner of the year, reflecting the enthusiasm and competitive spirit that have long been part of the club.
New races and big names
Kenny Wilkinson, who went on to complete 22 Comrades, first appears in the October 1988 minutes. That year Bruce Fordyce was invited to run the Forest Marathon, sponsored by Mitchells and Karos Hotels.
A clubhouse of its own
The clubhouse, previously the home of a giant waterslide, officially opened towards the end of 1997 after a substantial renovation arranged mainly by Herman Nortje and Dag Willems. Dag signed a 20-year lease with the municipality on 8 August 1997 for an annual rental of R2.
Still running together
The club continues to bring runners together through weekly time trials, iconic races and support for members taking on events such as Two Oceans and Comrades. Its story is still being written on the roads and trails around Knysna.
"The club has always encouraged participation."
Members have been supported in the Two Oceans and Comrades ultras, with the club well represented and numerous silver medals won in these prestigious events.