Rhodes Trail Run
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Rhodes Run 2027 : Rhodes, Eastern Cape
The Rhodes Run is a winter mountain trail race staged above the heritage village of Rhodes in the southern Drakensberg, Eastern Cape Highlands. The 37th edition takes place on 10 July 2027 and follows a traditional distance of 52 kilometres across high-altitude terrain that typically includes snow and ice.
Runners face cold conditions at the start, commonly around minus 10 degrees Celsius, and a race cutoff of nine hours to qualify as a finisher. The event is organised without financial prizes; a few floating trophies are awarded and all competitors receive the same pre- and post-race handouts. Permanent race numbers are issued to runners who complete multiple events: three finishes earn a blue Snowflake, twenty a mauve Snowflake, and thirty a gold Snowflake.
The race maintains long-standing local traditions, including church bells at dawn, a bottle of Old Brown at the finish, and the custom of cracking ice on the Bell River. Rhodes village is a small heritage community of fewer than 1 500 people with limited services. A portion of the event revenue supports local initiatives, and runners commonly bring goods for families in Zakhele. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.