# Canonical recap data for Gansu ultramarathon disaster (2021)
# Source: https://recap.at/2021/gansu-ultramarathon-disaster
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: gansu-ultramarathon-disaster
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2021/gansu-ultramarathon-disaster"
title: Gansu ultramarathon disaster
aliases:
- Jingtai County ultramarathon disaster
- Yellow River Stone Forest race
- Gansu trail race disaster
- May 2021 China ultramarathon
subtitle: "On this day (05/22), 5 years ago: Hypothermia kills 21 runners in the 100 km (60-mile) Gansu ultramarathon disaster in China."
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2021-05-22
datePrecision: day
year: 2021
decade: 2020
summaryShort: 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.
summaryLong: 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.
lede: 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.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Yellow_river_stone_forest.jpg/1280px-Yellow_river_stone_forest.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Gansu ultramarathon disaster"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Date
  value: 22 May 2021
- label: Deaths
  value: "21"
- label: Race distance
  value: 100 kilometres (62 miles)
- label: Location
  value: Yellow River Stone Forest, Jingtai County, Gansu Province, China
- label: Cause of death
  value: Hypothermia from sudden severe weather
- label: Registered participants
  value: "172"
- label: Race start time
  value: "06:00 (6 AM local time)"
- label: Temperature drop
  value: Plummeted to near freezing with hail and sleet
timeline:
- date: 2021-05-22
  title: Gansu ultramarathon begins
  description: "172 runners start the 100-kilometre trail race in Yellow River Stone Forest, Jingtai County at 06:00 local time under mild conditions."
- date: 2021-05-22
  title: Severe weather onset
  description: Unexpected hail, sleet, and subfreezing temperatures hit the race course during mid-morning. Wind speed increases dramatically and visibility deteriorates.
- date: 2021-05-22
  title: Emergency response initiated
  description: Race organisers and local authorities begin rescue operations as runners report hypothermia symptoms and distress across the course.
- date: 2021-05-22
  title: Mass casualties confirmed
  description: Twenty-one runners confirmed dead from hypothermia. Many others rescued with varying degrees of cold-related injury.
- date: 2021-05-23
  title: Investigation announced
  description: Chinese authorities launch formal investigation into race safety protocols, weather forecasting, and emergency preparedness.
- date: 2021-06-01
  title: Safety suspension issued
  description: Gansu provincial authorities suspend approvals for ultramarathon events pending review of safety standards and regulations.
- date: 2021-09-15
  title: Official investigation released
  description: Provincial government report attributes disaster to inadequate weather monitoring, poor communication, and insufficient emergency protocols.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gansu_ultramarathon_disaster"
  title: Gansu ultramarathon disaster
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: 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.
categories: []
taxonomy:
domain: sports
eventTypes:
- marathon
canonicalClasses:
- collapse
- conflict
impactRadius: national
velocity: sudden
predictability: black_swan
intentionality: accidental
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: death
metaDescription: 21 runners died in Gansu ultramarathon on May 22, 2021. Hypothermia in unexpected weather sparked safety reviews.
wikidataQid: Q106946734
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20210602010616/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gansu_ultramarathon_disaster"
  capturedAt: 2021-06-02
  label: Gansu ultramarathon disaster
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gansu_ultramarathon_disaster"
