Chaos erupted following the Hong Kong Streetathon 2025 on Sunday as a highly anticipated technological upgrade meant to streamline baggage retrieval failed, leaving thousands of runners waiting for hours and sparking widespread frustration. Event organizers have issued a full apology, citing an unexpected loss of Wi-Fi connectivity that crippled the new QR code scanning system and transformed the collection area into a disorganized bottleneck, forcing some participants to retrieve their belongings themselves.
System Failure Creates Post-Race Backlog
The massive delays occurred as runners attempted to collect their personal items immediately after crossing the finish line on January 23. Video and photographic evidence circulated widely, showing long queues and runners actively searching for their bags, with some likening the scene to a self-service retrieval point.
In a public statement and subsequent radio appearance this morning, William Leung, co-founder and CEO of Streetathon, extended an unreserved apology. He confirmed that the new system, designed to drastically reduce wait times by quickly identifying bag locations, had been catastrophically compromised.
“Our intention was to leverage new technology to enhance the runner experience and expedite the claims process,” Mr. Leung stated. “The system entirely failed due to an unexpected loss of Wi-Fi signal during the peak collection period, rendering all our scanning equipment inoperable.”
This network outage prevented the devices from communicating, effectively eliminating the key advantage of the digital tracking system. Compounding the issue, a pre-prepared backup system also reportedly failed to deploy, leaving staff to manually sort through and locate thousands of items. Extra manpower, including police assistance, was eventually dispatched, with collection for full and half-marathon runners finally concluding by midday.
Review Underway After Planning Shortfalls
Mr. Leung confirmed that pre-event testing of the system had taken place on multiple occasions, and backup scanners were available, but the real-world operational failure was not anticipated. He also acknowledged that organizers underestimated the crowd reaction once the queueing problem began, noting that deployed personnel were primarily instructed for crowd control rather than handling a major technical failure.
The incident highlights the inherent risks of relying heavily on new digital solutions for high-stakes, high-volume public events. Organizers are now conducting a thorough review alongside their logistics partners to reassess future baggage management protocols.
Focus Shifts to Hybrid, Reliable Retrieval Methods
Looking ahead, Mr. Leung stressed that earning back the trust of the running community would require tangible action, not just words. Acknowledging the widespread disappointment, he emphasized a commitment to improving future events.
One crucial change being considered involves shifting the strategy from primarily relying on technology to adopting a grounded, manual-first approach, with digital tools serving only as an auxiliary aid. This ensures that even in the event of total technological failure, core personal service can swiftly take over.
Seven runners formally reported that they were unable to locate their baggage yesterday, and the organizing committee has pledged to contact and follow up with each affected individual immediately. The outcome of the ongoing operational review is expected to determine the configuration of next year’s event logistics, prioritizing reliability and runner satisfaction above all else. This incident serves as a stark reminder for large-scale event organizers about the necessity of robust, low-tech alternatives when deploying ambitious digital infrastructure.
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