One of Spain’s most popular marathons, the Zurich Maraton San Sebastián, was cancelled less than 24 hours before its Sunday start due to extremely high winds, making running nearly impossible. Winds of 93 km/h were recorded on Sunday morning around 10 a.m., forcing race organizers to suspend the event for the 12,000 participants.
A wind storm was predicted to hit the San Sebastián area on Sunday morning, threatening projected speeds of over 120 km/h. The race’s organizing committee had no choice but to cancel the event, especially after repeated warnings from local authorities and emergency services.
An email from organizers was sent out 24 hours before the race, cancelling the event due to inclement weather:
“It is with deep regret that we announce the cancellation of the Zurich Maraton San Sebastián 2024 and all its distances (10K, 21.1K, and 42.2K) due to extreme weather alerts with winds exceeding 120 km/h, which poses a serious risk to the safety of all those involved. This decision has been taken after the need to prioritize safety above any other consideration. In the next few days, we will contact all registered participants to inform them of the steps to follow. Thank you for understanding at this difficult time.”
Some who travelled to the Basque Country to run the marathon were disappointed, but most understood the circumstances and applauded the organization for making the tough decision to cancel the race. “Surely, it has not been easy to make the decision, so I have unconditional support for the organization,” wrote one registrant on X. “There will be more opportunities.”
By 75 km/h, the wind is strong enough to damage structures, and by 90 km/h, it can uproot entire trees. Even if the race had proceeded, many runners would have had their performances marred by the high winds, making it difficult for anyone to achieve their goal times. The marathon route mostly follows the beaches of La Concha, Ondarreta and Zurriola, where runners would be exposed to gusts of wind from the sea.
The race expected a record of 12,000 participants in the 46th edition of the Zurich Maraton San Sebastián from more than 63 countries. The race has not yet announced whether it will issue refunds or defer participants to the 2025 race.
