Czech runner crashes to death in event

A Czech participant in one of the mountain races parallel to the Ultra-trail du Mont-Blanc died on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday August 25 in Savoie, Agence France-Presse learned from mountain rescue and of the organizers. The 35-year-old runner fell several tens of meters on a steep path in the town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice, at Passeur de Pralognan, at an altitude of more than 2,000 m.

Warned around 12:45 a.m., the rescuers of the high mountain gendarmerie platoon (PGHM) of Savoy intervened by helicopter to assist the rescue teams of the race, the first to intervene. The doctor who arrived with the PGHM on site tried to continue resuscitation, before noting the death of the “Trail runner” Czech, said Patrice Ribes, commander of the PGHM of Savoy. An investigation by the Albertville prosecutor’s office was opened to determine the causes of the accident.

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A 145 km event, with a 9,100 m drop

“The great family of trail runners, and more particularly that of the UTMB, are deeply saddened and join the organizing team to offer their condolences to the family and friends of the victim”, wrote in a statement the organization, which did not wish to make its identity public. Shortly after the accident, the race director stopped the 1,200 runners who were arriving in the area of ​​the accident, asking them to turn around and descend into the valley before being evacuated.

The 293 riders who had passed before the accident continued their race to the finish line in Chamonix, where a first rider arrived at 10:20 am The TDS, which started from Courmayeur in Italy on Tuesday at 3:00 pm, offered a very demanding course of 145 km of paths, for 9,100 m of vertical drop.

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The World with AFP