Stemma Radar: Cape Town, Ironman, Kipchoge, and the Price of Running

Kipchoge, the Global Ambassador, Prepares for Brazil

Icon Eliud Kipchoge participated in the Cape Town Marathon, finishing 16th with 2:13:29. However, the result was secondary. At 41, the greatest marathoner in history seems to have embraced a new role: that of a global ambassador for running. Kipchoge spent the weekend exuding charisma, posing for photos, and giving interviews, reiterating that his goal is not just to run fast, but to inspire people and promote sport as a tool for transformation. Cape Town marked the African leg of his personal project to run marathons on all continents over the next three years. The next stop on his tour will be the New Balance 42K Porto Alegre in July, where Stemma Sports will provide coverage.

The “Super-Shoe War” in Africa

The Cape Town Marathon also turned into a technology parade for super-shoes. Nike, Adidas, and Asics showcased their most advanced models and even secret prototypes on the feet of podium athletes, highlighting the technological race in the world of sports.

Nike appeared with a prototype of the Alphafly 4, not yet officially released, worn by champion Hussein Jinn Essa. Visually, the model seems to abandon the Air Zoom pod and features an even more aggressive midsole. Asics had three podium athletes using a secret prototype, already seen at the 2025 Boston Marathon, which doesn't even have an official name yet but is already a coveted item among marathoners. Adidas, meanwhile, highlighted the Adios Pro 4 on the men's podium and the Adios Pro Evo 2, used by champion Derartu Tulu Yami. The latter weighs only 138g, costs around 500 dollars, and Adidas itself suggests retiring it after one or two marathons.

Ironman Brazil in Jurerê: 2,000 Athletes and the Return of the "Queen"

The Ironman Brasil will take place this upcoming weekend in Jurerê Internacional, Florianópolis, solidifying its status as the Latin American triathlon capital. The 2026 edition will bring together approximately 2,000 athletes from 26 countries and promises one of the strongest elite fields in recent years, with names like Reinaldo Colucci, Luciano Taccone, Igor Amorelli, and Pâmela Oliveira. The classic Floripa course is known for blending speed, human warmth, wind, and a certain “existential suffering” that every triathlete experiences. Stemma Sports will provide full coverage of the event, starting at 6 AM on Sunday, with presenter Thiago Kawamura as a street reporter in Jurerê, and Bruna Mahn, Diego Ferraz, and Anderson Caveira in the broadcast booth.

One of the most moving stories this year is the return of Fernanda Keller to Ironman Brazil. At 62, the five-time champion of the event and Ironman Hall of Famer, considered the greatest name in Latin American triathlon history, will race alongside Daniel Caíra, a student from the Fernanda Keller Institute, who will be completing his first full Ironman. This return celebrates Fernanda's legacy in building Brazilian triathlon and her dedication to social transformation through sport.

Porto Alegre Marathon Aims to be Brazil's Fastest, Like Valencia

Also this upcoming weekend, the Porto Alegre International Marathon reaches its 41st edition with the ambition of becoming Brazil's fastest marathon. The organizers have reformulated the course, eliminating virtually all climbs, resulting in only 14m of accumulated elevation gain for the 42km – comparable to an airport runway. Approximately 30,000 runners from all Brazilian states and over 25 countries are expected. The marathon starts at 6 AM on Sunday, and the half marathon on Saturday at 6:30 AM. Olympikus, sponsoring for the fifth consecutive year, will have activations and launch the special edition Corre Turbo model for the Porto Alegre International Marathon. With a flat course and generally cool weather, the race attracts runners seeking personal bests (PBs) and qualifying times for other Majors, drawing inspiration from the success of the Valencia Marathon.

Controversy over Female Pacers at the Porto Alegre Marathon

The initial release of the Porto Alegre Marathon's pacer list caused a stir on social media, as it featured only one woman among the pace guides. The running community reacted immediately and vehemently. The race organization promptly issued a statement, acknowledging the issue and announcing an active search to increase female representation in the pacemaking groups. The incident reopened the debate on women's representation in road running, especially in leadership positions. Interestingly, the NB 42k Porto Alegre announced its pacer team for July with a female majority, highlighting the growing market pressure for more inclusion and diversity.

DASS Group Debunks Rumors of Production Transfer

Rumors about the Grupo DASS (responsible for producing Nike, Adidas, and Umbro in Brazil) transferring its production to Paraguay were debunked by the company itself. In an official statement, the DASS Group clarified that Brazilian factories continue to operate normally. The operation in Paraguay is smaller in scale, focused exclusively on apparel and linked to the Argentine market, with no changes to the national production of sports shoes for the neighboring country. The rumors had caused concern on social media, with presenter Cado Santos even joking that the Stemma Sports audience had alerted the factory.

Wine Run: Half Marathon with Oak Notes

For lovers of running, travel, and wine, the Wine Run has opened registrations for its 2026 edition, scheduled for October 3rd, in the Vale dos Vinhedos, Serra Gaúcha. The event combines running, tourism, gastronomy, wines, and sparkling wines, offering the opportunity to turn a half marathon into a grand oenological excursion. The event includes 21km courses (solo or two-person relay) between Bento Gonçalves and Monte Belo do Sul, culminating in a celebration with sparkling wines and a buffet at the finish line.

World Athletics Raises the Bar for Beijing 2027

World Athletics announced new, stricter qualification criteria for the 2027 Beijing World Championships. For the marathon, for example, the direct qualifying standard will be 2h06 for men and 2h20 for women. The organization seeks a balance between athletes qualifying by standard and by world ranking. An important change for the road running universe is that times achieved in official 5km and 10km races can now help in qualification for the 5,000m and 10,000m track events, making the path to elite competitions even more challenging.

Allout Launches “Running in Rio” Collection

The Allout brand launched a new "drop" for its "Running in Rio" line, inspired by the energy of the Marvelous City and designed for performance in the Carioca heat, capitalizing on the visibility of the Rio Marathon. The collection includes tank tops, shorts, oversized t-shirts, tops, and even racing swimsuits, featuring technology, vibrant colors, and designs that blend sport and lifestyle. For those seeking style and performance, the collection is now available, and Allout offers an exclusive discount coupon for Stemma Sports listeners, using "Girls Who Run" on their website.

The World's Most Expensive Marathons

A survey by sportshoes.com listed the world's most expensive marathons, considering registration, accommodation, and local transport. Topping the ranking is the Honolulu Marathon in Hawaii, with an average cost above 4,000 Brazilian Reais, not including airfare or other expenses. Following are San Francisco (around 3,800 Brazilian Reais), Zermatt in Switzerland (3,700 Brazilian Reais), Boston (3,500 Brazilian Reais), New York (3,400 Brazilian Reais), Chicago (2,900 Brazilian Reais), and London (2,800 Brazilian Reais). The ranking provides an estimate of the total experience cost but emphasizes that the financial impact can be much greater depending on the sports tourism itinerary.

Mizuno Manager Achieves Podium Finish in Triathlon

Rogério Barenco, general manager of Mizuno, finally reached the podium, securing second place in the 50-54 category of the Sprint Blue Special Edition Estrada Velha Triathlon 2026. Barenco celebrated on social media, happy to have a trophy to show his children. Presenter Cado Santos joked that the verbal "nudge" he gave Barenco during training might have influenced the outcome.

Cado Santos Details Insane 50km Training Run

Presenter Cado Santos shared his experience from his 50km training run last Sunday, in preparation for the Comrades Marathon. He described the run as something he never imagined doing, completing the distance in 6 hours and 30 minutes, maintaining an average pace between 7:20 and 7:30. The experience made him question popular beliefs about the marathon "wall," stating that by focusing on a constant pace and nutrition (alternating 40g and 25g gels every 30 minutes), he managed to overcome the distance with a different sensation than a conventional marathon.

An incident during the training run illustrates the challenges: at kilometer 40, while trying to use one of his hydration flasks, the nozzle detached, spraying the electrolyte solution with salt (Liquid IV and Salts) directly into his eye. Despite the intense stinging, Cado managed to continue, but warns that "salts" are not recommended for eye contact. He concluded that, although the 50km training run was challenging, with the right mindset and focus on maintaining movement, the body is capable of going further, even though the Comrades Marathon presents a much greater accumulated elevation gain (1,700m versus 300m for his training run).