Canadian Working has discovered that Runbuk, the U.S.-based operating tourism firm that not too long ago took over the World Marathon Problem, is utilizing Canadian and American-sanctioned Russian plane to move members from Cape City to its race at Novolazarevskaya Station (Novo) in Antarctica, scheduled for Nov. 7.
The Antarctic Ice Extremely occasion is promoted because the first-ever 24-hour race on the continent. The U.S. authorities imposed sanctions on the Russian airline Volga-Dnepr in August 2024 (following comparable sanctions from the U.Okay. Canada and the European Union). Runbuk’s use of a sanctioned Russian airline, Volga-Dnepr, for flights to the race location prompts critical questions on their actions, particularly given the substantial monetary funding from every participant (USD $19,500) to run the race.
Concealing the id of the plane
The id of the Volga-Dnepr Ilyushin IL-76 plane (RA-76952) transporting members from Cape City, South Africa, to Antarctica on Nov. 6 has been altered to hide the aircraft’s Russian origins.
It was discovered that Runbuk used the South African logistics firm Ultima Antarctic Expeditions to arrange transport; South Africa has no sanctions towards the Russian airline. However the aircraft’s id has been altered to hide its Russian origins. {A photograph} exhibits that the Volga-Dnepr markings on the plane have been modified to learn, ANTARCTICA, and the Russian flag (on the tail) has been changed with a picture.
Regardless of these efforts, proof of the airline’s id (Volga-Dnepr) stays accessible. Public flight monitoring knowledge reveals the flight numbers related to the Volga-Dnepr plane (VDA9018/VDA9020), and flight historical past exhibits the aircraft’s latest travels, together with routes from Ulyanovsk, Russia, to Cape City.
In Canada, violating sanctions is taken into account a legal offense, investigated and enforced by the Canadian Border Providers Company and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Beneath the United Nations Act, the utmost penalty for conviction could be a positive of $100,000, a one-year jail sentence, or each.
In keeping with the web site, there are 13 members within the inaugural Antarctic Ice Extremely. Seven are from international locations which have sanctions towards the airline. No Canadian runners are believed to be concerned.
Runbuk is owned by Oliver Wang and Renna Hu, who function inside the panorama of world marathon tourism. The couple has sturdy ties to many Abbott World Main Marathon occasions worldwide, appearing because the official tourism agent for the London Marathon and facilitating journey for a lot of U.S. runners. Their firm can be behind the World Marathon Problem, set for Novo Station in January 2025, the place members will try to finish seven marathons throughout seven continents in seven days.
The Antarctic Ice Extremely flight is scheduled to go away Cape City on Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. native time.Â
