Tayla Kavanagh, who tops the 2026 Spar Grand Prix leaderboard, will be favourite to win the 10km Spar Women’s Challenge Durban on Sunday in front of her home crowd. Kavanagh won the first race of the series in Cape Town in March, upsetting last year’s champion Glenrose Xaba in the final straight.
Tayla Kavanagh has another chance to stamp her authority on the Spar Grand Prix after an eagerly anticipated rematch with Glenrose Xaba was denied by the weather.
Kavanagh stunned the three-time Spar Grand Prix champion in April, edging Xaba in a thrilling sprint finish to win the series opener in Cape Town and seize the early lead in the standings.
The pair were due to renew their rivalry at the Absa Run Your City Cape Town 10K the following month, but severe weather forced the cancellation of the event, delaying what many hoped would be the next chapter in one of the season's most compelling contests.
Instead, Kavanagh heads into Sunday's Spar Women's 10km Challenge Durban without her biggest rival on the start line. Xaba, the defending Durban champion, is competing in the US, leaving the Hollywood Athletics Club star with a golden opportunity to extend her advantage at the top of the Grand Prix standings.
