The Kerry Hong Kong Street Marathon 2025 is set to take place on an upcoming date, with expectations of attracting over 18,600 participants. Following the event, there were significant delays at the finish line baggage area due to a malfunction in the baggage retrieval system, causing some participants to wait for 1 to 2 hours to collect their personal belongings. The co-founder and CEO of the city’s street marathon, Leung Baak Hang, expressed deep apologies for the incident and admitted that the performance of the new system did not meet expectations.
Liang Baixing mentioned that this year they made their first attempt to use technology by scanning QR codes on runners’ bibs for baggage tracking and collection. The original aim was to shorten waiting times and avoid the traditional manual sorting by numbers. However, there were issues with the system’s communication, which led to the QR codes not being recognized correctly, requiring extra time to reorganize the luggage. He pointed out that several tests were conducted at the venue beforehand and backup scanners were prepared, but the final outcome was still far from what was expected.
Due to a system failure, a large number of bags with race numbers were randomly placed on site, with some runners even entering the baggage area on their own to search for their belongings. Liang Baixing noted that the staff originally assigned to manage crowd control were unable to effectively handle the situation following the incident, which led to the need for additional personnel to maintain order. He pointed out that the most affected time period was between 9 AM and 11 AM. During this time, extra staff and police assistance were dispatched, and ultimately, all marathon and half-marathon participants completed their baggage retrieval around 12:45 PM.
In recent years, the Hong Kong Street Marathon has faced numerous complaints from participants, primarily concerning baggage arrangements, unclear route instructions, and the awarding of rankings. In the past, some participants have had to wait under the scorching sun for up to two hours just to retrieve their bags, and there have even been instances where elite runners have taken the wrong path. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Hong Kong Street Marathon, and for the first time, both the full and half marathons will venture onto the yet-to-open sections of the Central Kowloon Route, with the Yau Ma Tei Interchange serving as the finish line.
Leung Baixing reported that this year’s attendance rate was around 85%, with over 300 individuals unable to complete the event due to health issues or injuries, and 8 were even hospitalized, with 4 needing to stay for treatment. He pledged to actively review this incident to improve future staffing arrangements and enhance response plans for similar situations.
