Cebu Marathon 2027: CCLEX returns to official route

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) will once again serve as part of the official race route for the Cebu Marathon 2027, organizers announced ahead of the event’s official launch on August 12.

The announcement, made earlier this week through the marathon’s social media pages, confirmed that the country’s longest bridge will be featured in the January 10, 2027 race. The 8.9-kilometer CCLEX will be included in both the full marathon (42K) and half marathon (21K) courses.

The route was made possible after CCLEX, Cebu City, and the Municipality of Cordova signed a memorandum of agreement allowing the bridge to be used for the race.

CCLEX will also serve as part of the 90-kilometer bike course for Sunday’s IRONMAN 70.3 Lapu-Lapu Cebu that will start and finish at the Mactan Newtown with over 1,400 triathletes from 49 countries to compete.

Cebu City Sports Commission’s lead

The announcement comes as the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) prepares to take over the organization of the marathon, replacing the Cebu Executive Runners Club (CERC) after the event drew widespread criticism over its 2025 and 2026 editions.

The 2025 race was marred by a chaotic medal distribution at the finish line after the designated claiming area was reportedly left unattended, allowing even non-finishers to obtain medals intended exclusively for finishers. Participants also raised concerns over the post-race meal, although organizers addressed those issues during the following year’s edition.

In the 2026 race, many finishers were left disappointed after they failed to receive their medals on race day because of a logistical delay involving the shipment of the medals.

CCSC chairman Dr. Rhoel Dejaño has since vowed to deliver a smoother and better-organized Cebu Marathon in 2027 with the help of a new race organizing team and partner organizations.

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.