In March 2020, the 28th Kosmos 3 in 1 race took place, only two days after the first Covid-19 case was reported in South Africa. A week later, the first regulations were put in place, before the initial Hard Lockdown. This made the Kosmos 3 in 1 the very last major marathon to have taken place in South Africa before Covid took over.
This year will only be the second time, since the very first Kosmos 3 in 1 was run in 1991, that the event will not take place.
After 10 years of successfully being hosted by the Marathon Clubs of Trichardt, Evander and Secunda, the 2001 event moved to Pretoria under the leadership of Nic Bester with the idea of growing the race. It was not very successful though, due to the effort required to host all three races from 06h00 until 19h00 on a single day.
Being able to run all 3 races, for a total of 73,3km, is what makes the Kosmos 3 in 1 so special. However, the logistics of organising an event of this nature, was underestimated by the organisers of the Pretoria Event. They gave up on organising another Kosmos 3 in 1 and the 2002 event, therefore, did not take place.
The cancellation of the 2002 Event convinced one of the original Organisers, Ria van Schalkwyk, to resurrect the event and she approached Lake Umuzi to act as Title Sponsor of the 12th Kosmos 3 in 1. The construction of Lake Umuzi was still in progress but, realising the potential to attract runners from across South Africa, Lake Umuzi decided to back the return of the event to Secunda.
The 2003 Kosmos 3 in 1, started at the Sasol Recreation Club, but from 2004 onwards the Start and Finish were at Umuzi Lodge, Lake Umuzi. From a slow start, the Kosmos 3 in 1 now organised only by the Secunda Marathon Club, with PWC as Main Sponsor and with a permanent home base at Lake Umuzi, kept growing year by year and the numbers reached a new record attendance in 2020, before the World came down with Covid-19.
With Umuzi Lodge, The Merchant at Lake Umuzi and InnGreen @ Lake Umuzi only being able to accommodate some 400 of the thousands who come to run each year, it stands to reason why the Hotels and Lodge accommodation are always fully booked by the Sunday following each Kosmos 3 in 1. With the 2021 race not being able to take place, we have decided to move all bookings to the next race date, being 4 and 5 March 2022, at no extra cost and at the 2020 rates as booked and paid for.
Those, unfortunately, not being able to make next years’ race, may request a refund and it will be honoured in full (100%). The bookings canceled will then give new opportunities to runners who, for years, were not able to secure accommodation at Lake Umuzi.
If you have been waiting to get an opportunity of staying on-site and have a bed to rest before, between and after the races, now is your chance to book for 2022, when the Kosmos 3 in 1 is sure to continue its legacy.
Wishing you a Covid free 2021 and hoping to see you back for the 29th Kosmos 3 in 1 in 2022.
Lake Umuzi Management
Very testing times indeed, wise move to move it to 2022, we will be there.
Thank you for the update
We appreciate your foresight ! Let’s hope the pandemic will also pass!