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Ben Westcott

Danny Mok

Competitors in the ‘Lantau 2 Peaks’ running competition on Sunday have lashed out at the organiser after a runner broke his arm and others were injured during the rain-soaked event.
A number of furious participants complained that Action Asia Events hadn’t properly taken safety into account, with one describing it as ‘the most irresponsible race’ the organiser had run.
Race director Michael Maddess said there would be a review of the event, but stressed the organiser took safety seriously and had been consistently monitoring the course and the weather.
The outrage came after a 45-year-old Belgian competitor was injured after he slipped off the trail and broke his arm during the race, which took place during heavy rainfall caused by Typhoon Mujigae.
 

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Posted by Hong Kong Tropical Cyclone Warning Center on Sunday, October 4, 2015


 
He was running on the Tei Tong Tsai trail at the time, and it took rescuers about four hours to reach and free him. The runner fell about four metres before a tree broke his fall.
READ MORE: Runner in Hong Kong's Lantau 2 Peaks race escapes with broken arm after tree stops him plunging down slope
About 1,000 runners took part in the arduous 23km race on Sunday, which traversed between Tung Chung Citygate and Lantau Peak.
Runners who participated in the event posted photos of competitors walking across roaring streams of water without safety gear or rope barriers.
Facebook user David Wearmouth posted on the event’s page that he was amazed at the “complete lack of regard for competitors’ safety”.
“Allowing it to go ahead in a [typhoon level 3] is questionable anyway, but asking competitors to cross waterfalls with no safety lines in raging storms is completely unacceptable,” he said.
“Very disappointed in Action Asia Events.”
READ MORE: Competitors blown over in typhoon conditions during Lantau 2 Peaks skyrunning race in Hong Kong
Another user wrote it was the “most irresponsible race” he had ever joined.
Other runners reported multiple injuries along the trail as a result of the poor weather and difficult conditions, including one person left with at least 10 stitches after sustaining a head injury.
But race director Maddess, who also designed the course, said the event was not intended to be a walk in the park, describing it as one of the most extreme mountain events in Hong Kong.
He said video published on the race's offiical Facebook page showed the conditions at the beginning of the day were gloomy but not dangerous.
“To me, the conditions, I loved it, they were absolutely fantastic, but you had to be careful,” he said. “When anybody is put into an extreme environment, you must be careful.”
He said, as with all Action Asia events, there would be a review to examine whether all aspects of the course, including safety, could be improved.
“What we will do is get more feedback from more parties and look at extra measures which look at not only our race cancelling … but other weather such as wind speeds perhaps,” he said.

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'Most irresponsible race': Hong Kong runners blast Lantau 2 Peaks organiser over poor safety in typhoon conditions

An image of the difficult racing conditions facing competitors on Sunday: Photo: Facebook

About 1,000 runners took part in the arduous 23km race on Sunday, which traversed between Tung Chung Citygate and Lantau Peak. Photo: SCOTT

The Belgian runner is taken to hospital after slipping off the path. It took rescuers four hours to reach and free him. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Runner in Hong Kong's Lantau 2 Peaks race escapes with broken arm after tree stops him plunging down slope

Runners pass a stream that has turned into a torrent

Competitors blown over in typhoon conditions during Lantau 2 Peaks skyrunning race in Hong Kong

Norway’s Yngvild Kaspersen on her way to winning the women’s race in the Lantau 2 Peaks event. Photos: SCMP Pictures

Remi Bonnet of Switzerland blasted the men’s field and was 10 minutes ahead of the rest of the runners.