The Skyrace is threatened with extinction: “Facts have to be on the table”

It was Saturday evening around 19 p.m. when the terrible accident occurred near Lake Kratzberg: 44-year-old Silje Fismen from Tromsø, Norway, was struck by lightning in front of other Skyrace participants. A short time later she succumbed to her injuries ( see own message ). After the incident became known this weekend, sport completely took a back seat.

The injured Silje Fismen before her start in Bolzano.

In reviewing the events, several piquant questions arise, which OC boss Josef Günther Mair addresses SportNews -Demand takes a position as follows.

Can you say in good conscience that all necessary safety precautions were taken on race day?

Josef Günter Mair: "Yes absolutely. We have learned from the past few years, taken advice from experts and participants and constantly improved. We have several shelter options, an aid station every 10 kilometers and countless marshals. All athletes are equipped with an early warning system.”

Was the participant who had an accident also warned ahead of time? “We informed all athletes about the tricky weather conditions before the start, showed them the thunderstorm forecast and explained exactly where they could find shelter. To be on the safe side, we equipped all athletes with a GPS device and requested their phone numbers so that we could locate them on the go and reach them if necessary. When we interrupted the race, the Norwegian participant was also informed via short message. We noticed on our monitoring monitor that a few runners were still moving and started contacting them by phone. Unfortunately, the storm moved in so quickly that we were unable to speak to everyone, including the eventual victim, in such a short period of time.”

Were there several such sections of route with a relatively long distance to the next refuge? “There are several critical passages because it is simply not possible to include an alpine hut, a refuge or other shelter every few kilometers over a total length of 121 kilometers. Then we will no longer be allowed to organize runs in the mountains, but only in populated areas. But again: There was information for the participants in advance, regular control stations, marshals and a sophisticated warning system. In the end, we can’t force anyone to stop or turn around, so every runner has a certain amount of responsibility.”

“After I was informed of the initial findings, I was alone for almost an hour. That was a terrible time.” How much does misfortune gnaw at you? “It's clear that I'm not feeling well. First of all, I think of the relatives of the deceased, to whom I express my sincere condolences. When I was informed about the incident on the track on Saturday evening, I was completely shocked. As head of the OC, I bear great responsibility. I didn't sleep for two nights from Friday to Sunday. On the first evening, due to the uncertain weather conditions, we had to be vigilant and take all possible precautions. After the accident, this difficult situation had to be managed.”

What went through your mind when you were informed about the incident?

“After I was informed of the initial findings, I was alone for almost an hour. That was a terrible time. When the death was finally confirmed, I called an emergency meeting and discussed with the organizational team how we would deal with this situation. We have informed the public and initially canceled all award ceremonies. “

“An emergency meeting is scheduled for next week” What consequences does this accident have for the organizers? “As long as the investigation is ongoing, it is difficult to estimate. In any case, we have to bring all the facts to the table and process what happened. We meet every year after the race to catch up, but this time it won't be as usual due to the tragic incident. An internal crisis meeting is scheduled for next week, followed by another one with the mountain rescue and emergency services. I expect the analysis of events to be completed by mid-August.”

Will there be an 8th edition of the Südtirol Ultra Skyrace? "I don't know that. We received a lot of support during these difficult times, especially from the athletes. Of course that gives you strength. We have put a lot of effort into achieving the highest safety standards over the past 7 years. And yet we come to the conclusion that a residual risk always remains. That's why, after this sad tragedy, we will ask ourselves the question: Do we still want to accept this?"

Questions: Alexander Foppa

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

The Skyrace is threatened with extinction: “Facts have to be on the table”

The sadness and bewilderment are still omnipresent two days after the death at the Südtirol Ultra Skyrace. The tragic incident left its mark especially on OC boss Josef Günther Mair. He and his team are now considering stopping the country's most extreme mountain run.

Suggestions

Comments (0)