---
title: "Gansu ultramarathon disaster"
year: 2021
canonical: "https://recap.at/2021/gansu-ultramarathon-disaster"
slug: "gansu-ultramarathon-disaster"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "2021-05-22"
---

# Gansu ultramarathon disaster

> On this day (05/22), 5 years ago: Hypothermia kills 21 runners in the 100 km (60-mile) Gansu ultramarathon disaster in China.

On 22 May 2021, twenty-one runners died from sudden hypothermia during a 100-kilometre ultramarathon in China's Gansu province. The race, held in a remote mountainous area, encountered unexpected severe weather that caught organisers and participants unprepared, raising questions about safety protocols in endurance sports.

## Summary

On 22 May 2021, twenty-one professional runners died from hypothermia while competing in a government-run 100-kilometre (62 mi) trail running race held in the Yellow River Stone Forest in Jingtai County, Gansu, China.

## Key facts

- **Date**: 22 May 2021
- **Deaths**: 21
- **Race distance**: 100 kilometres (62 miles)
- **Location**: Yellow River Stone Forest, Jingtai County, Gansu Province, China
- **Cause of death**: Hypothermia from sudden severe weather
- **Registered participants**: 172
- **Race start time**: 06:00 (6 AM local time)
- **Temperature drop**: Plummeted to near freezing with hail and sleet

## Timeline

- **2021-05-22** - Gansu ultramarathon begins
  172 runners start the 100-kilometre trail race in Yellow River Stone Forest, Jingtai County at 06:00 local time under mild conditions.
- **2021-05-22** - Severe weather onset
  Unexpected hail, sleet, and subfreezing temperatures hit the race course during mid-morning. Wind speed increases dramatically and visibility deteriorates.
- **2021-05-22** - Emergency response initiated
  Race organisers and local authorities begin rescue operations as runners report hypothermia symptoms and distress across the course.
- **2021-05-22** - Mass casualties confirmed
  Twenty-one runners confirmed dead from hypothermia. Many others rescued with varying degrees of cold-related injury.
- **2021-05-23** - Investigation announced
  Chinese authorities launch formal investigation into race safety protocols, weather forecasting, and emergency preparedness.
- **2021-06-01** - Safety suspension issued
  Gansu provincial authorities suspend approvals for ultramarathon events pending review of safety standards and regulations.
- **2021-09-15** - Official investigation released
  Provincial government report attributes disaster to inadequate weather monitoring, poor communication, and insufficient emergency protocols.

## Impact

The deaths exposed systemic gaps in weather monitoring and emergency response for remote sporting events in China. The incident prompted nationwide reviews of ultramarathon safety standards and became a watershed moment in how Chinese authorities regulate extreme endurance competitions.

## Sources

- [Gansu ultramarathon disaster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gansu_ultramarathon_disaster) - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/2021/gansu-ultramarathon-disaster