Race Information
Welcome to the Antarctic Polar Race®, home of the Antarctica Athletics Championships 2026 at the marathon distance.
Continental titles will be on offer in male and female categories. Participants have a choice of a 1-mile race, 10k, half-marathon, and marathon.
Athletes will fly from Cape Town to Antarctica to run on a groomed marathon course, and return to Cape Town the same day.
Everyone is welcome to take part, whether you are a top athlete seeking to win an Antarctica continental title, or just hoping to cover a particular distance and knock Antarctica off your bucket list.
Upon return from Antarctica, there is a second marathon event hosted at the spectacular location of Seapoint Promenade, Cape Town. The Lion’s Head Marathon™, available at no extra cost, incorporates a six-loop course that enables athletes to complete two official marathons on two continents in the same trip. From Ice to Fire!
Enrollment for the Antarctic Polar Race® and Lion’s Head Marathon is handled by Ice Cap Adventures Ltd. under license by Richard Donovan / Polar Running Adventures.
Event Itinerary 2026
Dec 2: Arrive in Cape Town
Dec 3: Event Briefing
Dec 4: Antarctica Departure Preparations
Dec 5: Fly to Antarctica, Antarctic Polar Race®
Dec 6: Rest Day
Dec 7: Lion’s Head Marathon™, Cape Town
Day 8: Return to Homeland
About Antarctica
Antarctica is the southernmost continent on Earth, known for its extreme cold, vast ice sheets, and unique ecosystem. It's the driest, highest, and windiest continent on earth, with temperatures that can plummet well below freezing. Antarctica has no native human population and is primarily inhabited by scientific researchers. This remote continent is governed by the Antarctic Treaty System, which promotes international cooperation for peaceful and scientific purposes. We expect our race temperatures to be -8C, though participants should be prepared for it being colder.
Environment & Safety
Operating in strict accordance with the Antarctic Treaty’s Protocol on Environmental Protection, we are committed to preserving the natural beauty and wildlife of Antarctica.
Environmental tourism guidelines ensure that we leave nothing behind but footprints and take nothing back but memories.
With our extensive knowledge and experience, we prioritize safety precautions when venturing into the frozen continent to run.
Join us on a journey to explore one of the world's last untouched wildernesses while maintaining the utmost respect for its delicate ecosystem.
Travel to the land of ice
Our event HQ is the Winchester Hotel, Sea Point Promenade.
Participants are advised to stay at a hotel in this area.
Your flight time to Antarctica for the Antarctic Polar Race is 5.5 hours.
Following the trip to Antarctica, the Lion’s Head Marathon in Africa will begin on the promenade across from the Winchester Hotel, Cape Town.
Registered participants will be given detailed advice on suitable clothing for Antarctica.
MARATHON ROUTE
The marathon course is spectacular, encompassing 4 loops of a 10.55km circuit in the vicinity of Wolf’s Fang, Antarctica. *It may be up to 8 loops of 5.275km depending on conditions.