2008 Comrades Marathon took place on June 15, starting at the City Hall in Durban at 5H30 and finishing in Pietermaritzburg, KZN at 17H30, a province whose coastal regions are known for the sub-tropical vegetation, peaks of the breathtaking Drakensberg Mountains, etc.

Our cameras were positioned to follow the runners from starting point in the centre of the harbour city of Durban, through to all major hills: Cowies Hill, Fields Hill, Botha’s Hill, Inchanga, and the Polly Shortts, up until the Oval, a finishing point in Pietermaritzburg. While every hill poses its challenges, the Polly Shortts is known to be the ultimate in heartbreak hills; it’ll make or break even top contenders. Worth mentioning of the points of interest on the route is the Ethembeni School for handicapped children, where our cameramen always get impressed by how these children cheer runners on, encouraging and inspiring them.

TVOB pioneered live coverage of the Comrades Marathon more than 20 years ago to date. The coverage has improved every year and as a result, the 2008 coverage was more comprehensive than the previous years. Virtually every kilometre of the route was televised showing the triumph, pain, suffering, and achievement by the runners.

In 2007 it was a down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. Setting up the facilities started days before all along the route. The coverage is very dependant on mobile tracking motorcycles moving with the runners. These signals are relayed via helicopters to the production point at the finish. Communications equipment was installed into a fixed wing aircraft enabling the director to keep in contact and direct the motorcycle camera operators.
For the TVOB crews, this was in itself a marathon achievement, as this production combined all elements of live broadcasting. The SABC will bring the most important ultra marathon road race again to you live on the 24 May 2009!