The Gansu Disaster
You probably heard of the tragedy that unfolded in northern China in May 2021 with sadness and shock. You may have been part of the many discussions and debates that followed in the trail running world and wider society.
Before I add my thoughts, I will ask you to pause your opinions for a moment and reflect on our 21 trail-loving brothers and sisters who made that wonderful decision to click ENTER, excitedly packed their bags, travelled long distances to a remote and spectacular destination, lined up at the start line full of happy nervous adrenalin, and never came home…
Understandably, this incident lit up social media as soon as the news started to break around the world. I followed it all closely as an organiser of trail races in South Africa, including a mountain race in the Drakensberg, where extreme conditions are always a possibility and weather has to be constantly monitored.
Three main themes have emerged. The first is the extent to which race organisers bear culpability, legal or moral, for tragic events such as this.
The second is runners being responsible for themselves and their own safety.
The third is what this is going to mean, if anything, to trail and ultra-running worldwide.
★ Organiser liability
First, as far as legal liability
