(CNN) – 21 Ultramarathon runners died after severe weather conditions affected a 100km mountain race in northwest China.

The Hwangi Shilin Mountain Marathon kicked off at high altitude on Saturday morning in sunny conditions. But at 1 p.m. local time, the weather changed, as freezing rain, hail and winds hit the runners in Gansu Province, according to the state newspaper. Global Times.

A marathon group called the Hong Kong 100 Ultra Marathon confirmed in a statement released on Sunday that Liang Jing, one of the most famous ultra-marathon runners in China, was among the dead.

The marathon group said Liang was a “favored” member of the Hong Kong running community. He added that he regularly competed in the annual Hong Kong 100km race and was the runner-up for the past two years.

He also described him as “one of the best endurance athletes in the world” and expressed his condolences to his family.

Suspension of Tramarathon and search missions

As temperatures drop in the Yellow River Stone Forest, runners have begun to report hypothermia, while others have vanished.

Marathon organizers canceled the race and launched a search group of 1,200 people to research the terrain. The search continued until evening.

Most of the competitors wore tight shorts and T-shirts.

Janet Ng, race director for the Hong Kong 100 Ultramarathon, told CNN Sunday that she is not in a position to comment on the importance or safety of the Gansu Marathon, but noted that the mountain running community is in mourning and with great sadness.

I couldn’t feel my fingers

One of the participants Advertise To your local mail Red Star News: “Once, I couldn’t feel my fingers (because it was so cold). At the same time I felt my tongue frozen.

He said he decided to withdraw from the race. “I went back to the middle of the mountain and entered a log cabin in the direction of a rescuer. There were already about 10 other contestants descending earlier and we waited for the rescue in the cabin for an hour. In the end, about 50 runners arrived and took refuge in the booth.

By Sunday morning, 151 of the 172 race participants had been confirmed safe, eight of whom were in hospital. The state-run People’s Daily reported that 21 people had been found dead.

The race distance of 100 kilometers was more than twice that of a standard marathon.