2026 Great Eastern Women’s Run cancelled amid worsening air quality from haze

SINGAPORE – The 2026 edition of the Great Eastern Women’s Run (GEWR), slated to take place on Nov 1, has been cancelled owing to the “worsening air quality” caused by the transboundary haze.

Organisers announced on Oct 16 that the decision was made to “safeguard the health of our participants, staff and volunteers”.

Explaining the move, organisers said on the event website: “We carefully considered the prevailing and expected conditions, the prospect of haze persisting through to early November, and the potential health impact of prolonged outdoor physical activity.

“We believe this is the right move to minimise unnecessary health and safety risks to participants, especially young children and elderly women, as well as staff and volunteers.”

Earlier in the day, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said at a press conference that air quality in Singapore could reach hazardous levels where PSI readings rise above 300.

The haze could also last for another three to four weeks, she said.

Singapore has registered unhealthy PSI readings for 12 straight days since Oct 5, making it the longest continuous stretch of poor air quality the country has had to endure since the 2015 haze crisis.

The upcoming run would have been the 20th edition of the GEWR, which was launched in 2006.

Over 12,000 people had registered for the 2026 run, with organisers stating that all participants who paid a registration fee will receive a full refund of their race fee, excluding the $20 donation which will go towards supporting the beneficiaries of the event – Daughters Of Tomorrow and Singapore Cancer Society.

The following categories were set to feature at the Nov 1 run: 100m princess dash, 2km mummy & me (for families of two, three or four), 5km, 10km (individual open, team category for tertiary students only) and 21.1km.

In a questionnaire on its website, organisers also elaborated on why they made the decision more than a fortnight before the event, pointing to the extensive planning and coordination that needs to be done in advance for an event of this scale.

Organisers said: “Given the unexpected air quality conditions, the uncertainty over the duration of the haze and the operational lead time required, we felt it was important to make a timely and responsible decision rather than wait until the last minute and risk greater disruption for participants, volunteers and partners.

“Organising an event and cancelling on the actual day will also lead to large amount of food and material waste which for sustainability reasons we should avoid.”

The only other time the GEWR was called off was in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It returned the following year with just the elite-only half-marathon featuring 15 runners in a physical format.