North Pole Marathon: Runners Tackle Drifting Sea Ice

Sun Sep 06 2026 04:04:23 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Twenty-three runners from seven countries sprinted a 1,055‑metre loop on drifting sea ice at the geographic North Pole, making the event the world’s coolest marathon.

An unprecedented marathon unfolded at the Arctic’s geographic North Pole, where runners from seven nations completed a 1,055‑metre loop amid drifting sea ice. Twenty‑three athletes arrived aboard the French polar vessel Le Commandant Charcot and raced under demanding conditions, with thermal gear and life vests a safety must‑have. Denmark’s Rikke Dam secured the women’s title in 6:54:02, while China’s Wang Shengxian won the men’s race in 3:52:22, turning heads in the coldest marathon known. The picture‑perfect footage captures a surreal field of runners who have literally run on the planet’s highest point.

North Pole Marathon: Runners Tackle Drifting Sea Ice

A record twenty‑three athletes from seven countries raced a 1,055‑metre lap around drifting sea ice at the geographic North Pole, an event billed by organisers as the world’s coolest marathon.

The expedition began aboard the French polar vessel Le Commandant Charcot; participants disembarked and, wearing thermal skins and life vests, tackled the dangerous, floating ice that shifts with the Atlantic currents.

In the hostile environment, Danish athlete Rikke Dam topped the women’s division, clocking a 6:54:02 finish, while Wang Shengxian of China captured the men’s title with a 3:52:22 time, creating a headline‑making finish on the world’s highest point.

Video edited by Ian Aikman