Letters | Hong Kong Marathon would run more smoothly with less crowding

Readers discuss overcrowding at the city’s flagship road race, and a taxi association’s threatened strike

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A runner dressed as the God of Wealth is spotted at the Island Eastern Corridor in North Point during a Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon event on February 9. Photo: Eugene Lee

Published: 11:30am, 15 Feb 2025

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I would like to commend the organisers, staff and volunteers of the Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon 2025 for their hard work and dedication in putting together such an iconic and well-loved event. Running through the streets of Hong Kong is always an incredible experience, and the energy and support from the community are what make this event so special.

However, I feel compelled to offer constructive criticism about the overcrowding issues that have plagued the event, particularly over the last two years.

The first 5-6km of the half-marathon were uncomfortably congested, with runners packed shoulder to shoulder, making it nearly impossible to establish a steady pace. This overcrowding led to faster runners weaving through the crowd, resulting in collisions, trips and falls. To make matters worse, cones were inexplicably placed in the middle of the raceway throughout the course, and I personally witnessed runners falling over them.

Adding to the congestion were participants walking, taking selfies and live-streaming as early as the second kilometre. While the marathon welcomes runners of all abilities, walkers so early in the race exacerbate bottlenecks and create unsafe conditions for those attempting to run at faster paces. There needs to be greater emphasis on ensuring that runners in earlier start times have faster anticipated finish times to minimise this issue.

This is my third time taking part in the Hong Kong Marathon and overcrowding has been a recurring problem. Last year, during the full marathon, the merging of the marathon and half-marathon courses near the end created severe bottlenecks, with runners literally running in place at times. While taping off lanes allows ambulances to reach runners quickly, taping off entire lanes in two-lane areas funnels thousands of runners into inadequate space.