In brief
In a daring Arctic spectacle, 23 runners from seven nations raced on the North Pole’s drifting sea ice, covering a 1,055‑metre loop under extreme conditions. Arriving aboard the French polar vessel Le Commandant Charcot, competitors ran in thermal gear and safety vests that were mandatory for the icy course. Denmark’s Rikke Dam claimed the women’s title in 6:54:02, while China’s Wang Shengxian won the men’s race in 3:52:22. Organisers billed the event as the world’s coolest marathon, highlighting the challenge of running where the environment itself moves.
In a daring Arctic spectacle, 23 elite runners from seven different countries took part in a marathon on the North Pole’s drifting sea ice, an event the organisers called the “world’s coolest marathon.”
The competitors boarded the French polar vessel Le Commandant Charcot and disembarked at the geographic North Pole to run laps around a 1,055‑metre loop carved out on the snow‑covered ice field. All runners wore thermal gear and life vests to meet the safety requirements of the frigid, unstable terrain.
Denmark’s Rikke Dam emerged victorious in the women’s race, finishing in 6 minutes 54 seconds and 2 seconds, while China’s Wang Shengxian took the men’s title with a time of 3 minutes 52 seconds and 22 seconds.
Video edited by Ian Aikman