Overview
- Organisers announced on Wednesday that the 32nd hella Hamburg Half Marathon due to run on Sunday, June 28, has been cancelled and will be postponed to a date not yet set.
- They cited weather forecasts of up to about 37 degrees Celsius and said they could not rule out a surge in demand for rescue and emergency services that would risk the city’s basic provision of care.
- The decision came despite plans for enhanced heat measures, including seven water stations instead of three or four, outdoor showers, water tubs and more than 100,000 liters of drinks.
- About 24,000 registered runners are affected and organisers said the choice was extremely difficult but necessary for safety; Hamburg‑Mitte district head Ralf Neubauer publicly endorsed the move.
- The cancellation leaves logistical and planning questions for participants and authorities and highlights how extreme heat can force mass events to be rethought to protect public-health resources.