Freak weather cuts short Copenhagen half marathon
Not all participants made it to the finish line of Copenhagen’s half-marathon event – and two were taken to hospital – after a torrential downpour of rain and hail resulted in the race being stopped.
The weather, which was fine and sunny at the start of the event, caused chaos at Sunday’s Copenhagen Half Marathon.
The majority of runners had completed the 21.1-kilometre run by the time organisers decide to cut the race short.
At around 1pm Sunday, the hitherto fine weather turned as a volley of rain and hail came down over runners. After half an hour of the heavy weather, large quantities of water flowing along the route, particularly near the finishing line, was causing chaos for runners.
#cphhalf pic.twitter.com/SUIMDJyZ9C
— Frederik J. Rosberg (@FJRosberg) September 17, 2017
Three people – a runner, a photographer and a race volunteer -- were hit by lightning, two seriously enough to be taken to hospital for treatment, Vibjerg told the newspaper.
Race organisers, along with Copenhagen's police and fire service, decided to halt the race – even though the downpour had stopped – after meteorological agency DMI forecast further downpours.
“There are between 15,000 and 20,000 people in the Fælled Park during the race, so we decided to finish things and get people away before more water came,” Vibjerg said.
“Social media has been good to spread the message that people should leave the area. Our big screen does not work, as we have no electricity, but our loudspeakers do, so we have also used those to inform people,” the organiser added.
READ ALSO: Denmark given accidental 'unrealistic' weather forecast
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The weather, which was fine and sunny at the start of the event, caused chaos at Sunday’s Copenhagen Half Marathon.
The majority of runners had completed the 21.1-kilometre run by the time organisers decide to cut the race short.
At around 1pm Sunday, the hitherto fine weather turned as a volley of rain and hail came down over runners. After half an hour of the heavy weather, large quantities of water flowing along the route, particularly near the finishing line, was causing chaos for runners.
#cphhalf pic.twitter.com/SUIMDJyZ9C
— Frederik J. Rosberg (@FJRosberg) September 17, 2017
Three people – a runner, a photographer and a race volunteer -- were hit by lightning, two seriously enough to be taken to hospital for treatment, Vibjerg told the newspaper.
Race organisers, along with Copenhagen's police and fire service, decided to halt the race – even though the downpour had stopped – after meteorological agency DMI forecast further downpours.
“There are between 15,000 and 20,000 people in the Fælled Park during the race, so we decided to finish things and get people away before more water came,” Vibjerg said.
“Social media has been good to spread the message that people should leave the area. Our big screen does not work, as we have no electricity, but our loudspeakers do, so we have also used those to inform people,” the organiser added.
READ ALSO: Denmark given accidental 'unrealistic' weather forecast
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