Venice Marathon runners were left wading through ankles-deep water after high tides flooded the course.
Competitors were undeterred by the tricky conditions for the marathon on Sunday with water inches deep in some places.
Video footage and images posted on social media showed runners battling through the deep water as it splashed their clothes.
Spectators were dressed in wellingtons and ponchos to cheer the runners on.
Witnesses described the conditions as “insane” and some suggested it had turned the marathon into a swim.
One runner Andrew Chessell joked that he "should have hired a gondola".
The flooding is caused by acqua alta, which is the high tide from the Northern Adriatic Sea.
Ethiopia’s Mekuant Ayenew Gebre finished first in the marathon with a time of 2.13.22 despite the difficult conditions. Kenyan plumber Gilbert Kipleting Chumba finished second in in 2:13:49 and third place went to Stephen Kiplimoin 2:13:56.
Angela Jemesunde Tanui of Kenya took the win in 2:31:30 in the women’s race. Amente Sorone Nagash of Ethiopia took second place in 2:38:59, while third place went to Euliter Jepchirchir Tanui in 2:40:56.
This year’s flooding follows an unplanned course detour in 2017 when the lead motorcycle took a wrong turn and directed athletes in the wrong direction for several hundred metres and up to two minutes.
