Two Russian runners dead after heavy rain turns to summer ice storm during Far North ultramarathon
Two runners died during an ultramarathon race in Russia’s far north Murmansk region this weekend, Governor Andrey Chibis reported on Sunday. He said preliminary findings suggest that severe weather conditions were to blame for the deaths, which occurred overnight.
The Murmansk branch of the Russian Investigative Committee identified the victims as a woman from St. Petersburg born in 1963 and a man from Moscow born in 1978. The Telegram channel Mash, which has ties to law enforcement, named them only as Irina G. and Yevgeny M. Local emergency services also reported that one other participant was hospitalized, while Mash claimed that two people were hospitalized in moderate condition.
Authorities in the nearby town of Kirovsk said the event, called Khibiny SportFest, was organized by a private company and was being held in the Khibiny Mountains for the sixth time. According to posts from the race’s official Telegram channel, three ultramarathons were held on Saturday night, covering distances of 46 kilometers (28.5 miles), 68 kilometers (42.3 miles), and 108 kilometers (67.1 miles). It’s unclear which races the victims were competing in.
Early in the night, some runners began requesting evacuation from food and rest points along the route, according to statements from the organizers at around 1:30 a.m. local time. By about 2:00 a.m., runners were reporting an “extreme situation at the only remaining mountain pass.” Around the same time, organizers learned that one participant had fallen ill at the last food station and dispatched medics to assist. At 3:53 a.m., organizers announced the cancellation of the race and the evacuation of all ultramarathoners.
Kirovsk officials said that once the weather began to improve, organizers notified emergency services and sent volunteer teams with warm clothing and hot food to warming stations along the route.
The Murmansk region’s emergency ministry reported that they were notified at 4:55 a.m. that two people had died during the race. Search-and-rescue operations were completed by 10:40 a.m. “Everyone who was still on the course received the help they needed,” Governor Chibis said. Soon after, Sportfest Khibiny announced the cancellation of all events scheduled for Sunday as well.
Before the race, organizers had warned that harsh weather was possible and advised participants to dress warmly. The Murmansk-based news outlet SeverPost reported that organizers had planned to cancel a 15-kilometer (9.3-mile) race due to a poor weather forecast and recommendations from the Emergency Situations Ministry. Sportfest Khibiny’s posts indicate that the race was indeed called off. The water section of a 17-kilometer (10.5–mile) race that involved stand-up paddleboards was also canceled due to strong winds.
Mash reported that the ultramarathon routes were adjusted for weather conditions, reducing the total elevation gain from 3,500 meters (2.2 miles) to 1,400 meters (0.9 miles). However, the course still went through the mountain pass where the worst weather struck. One runner told Mash that about an hour after the start, heavy rain began. “Then the completely soaked runners reached the pass, where they were hit by a fierce ice storm,” the Telegram channel reported. Another participant described how strong winds blew snow directly into the runners’ backs. A video posted by a runner captured the storm, and in the footage, the runner can be heard describing the situation as “brutal.”
One runner, Anton, told the Telegram channel 112 that he came across a woman who had collapsed from the cold. Together with other participants, he helped her reach a nearby aid station, where she received medical care. She is reportedly in stable condition as of this writing.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case on charges of providing services that failed to meet safety standards, resulting in two deaths.
According to the Telegram channel RusNews, the race’s organizers suggested that electronic warfare systems may have interfered with the race’s navigation, which was set up using a Telegram bot.
The organizers also said that some runners got lost along the route and had to rely on regular cell service for emergency communication.
Human rights activist Violetta Grudina, citing race participants, said the course lacked heated shelters and medical stations at hazardous points. According to her, one mountain pass featured an icy descent where safety ropes had been installed but without the knots needed for proper belaying.
On Monday afternoon, Russian state media reported that Artyom Dolgopolov, the organizer of the Khibiny Sportfest race, had been arrested.
