“Why was the start given? The organization didn’t have access to weather forecasts? », asks a runner, after the fatal accident of a trail runner which occurred on the night of this Friday, June 14 to Saturday, June 15, on the Ultra-trail du Haut Giffre (Haute-Savoie). Like him, many competitors are wondering about the responsibility of race management for the tragedy which took place around 4:30 a.m. As the rain fell heavily on the mountains plunged into darkness, four runners fell on the descent from Pointe d’Angolon (2,090 m), around the 18th kilometer of the course.
“The volunteers and the medical team initially took care of the victims,” reports the Haute-Savoie prefecture. But given their condition, the organizer called for help from public assistance. As any helicopter flight was impossible, the high mountain gendarmerie platoon arrived in the area by land caravan. The victims could not be airlifted to area hospitals until 9:30 a.m. »
According to the Bonneville prosecutor, Karline Bouisset, the deceased trail runner was a man born in 1972. He died on the spot of cardiorespiratory arrest. The other two seriously injured suffer from head trauma and pelvic trauma for one, head trauma and shoulder trauma for the other. Their vital prognosis is not in jeopardy. There were around ten other runners rescued for minor injuries and hypothermia.
“From 4-5 a.m. until 9-10 a.m. you are going to suffer, I’m not going to lie to you”
The drama happened on the main race of the weekend, covering 90 km and 7,000 m of elevation gain. Of all the events which started from the Samoëns station, the Ultra-trail du Haut Giffre had 4,100 registered participants.
On the starting line, this Friday evening, the race director, David Justo, knew that the weather conditions and the terrain would be extreme and had warned the runners accordingly on the announcer’s microphone: “We did everything to ensure that you pass on the entire route. It was complicated. It’s not asphalt, it’s mountains. So I’m going to ask you to be very, very careful, to go very slowly. There are many sections of snow and stones. Take care of yourself (…). It’s going to be zero degrees. I hope you have taken your mandatory equipment, there will be checks on the course (…). From 4-5 a.m. until 9-10 a.m., you will suffer, I’m not going to lie to you, because there will be deluges of water, 40 mm predicted. It’s going to be cold, a lot of wind, plus rain, it’s going to be very hard (…). The descent from Pointe d’Angolon is not long, 300-400 meters, but it is really very steep and in the mud,” he emphasized to the trail runners, all smiles in front of the camera broadcasting part of the ‘event. This Angolon passage is partly bordered by a cliff.
Without an alert from Météo France or a ban from the prefecture, the departure could take place. During the night, however, runners described scenes of chaos. ” I’m mad. I saw before my eyes people unscrewing 300 m and hurting themselves, screaming in fear, describes Romain Delaplace. How, with the weather forecast announced, were you able to send us to Angolon? You put us in danger. When we participate in an organized race, in principle we trust. »
“This kind of drama was unfortunately predictable”
Fabrice Milou saw “people flying, hitting in all directions, screaming then disappearing in the dark. It was apocalyptic. It stirs in the head. » Some runners admit to having turned back when the conditions were too perilous. Others believe that they should not take part in the race if they do not have the sufficient technical level. “Do we cancel all mountain races as soon as there is a risk? » asks a runner.
“Trailers are competitors, not mountaineers,” says Romain, a guide in the region. Deplorable conditions were announced. The organizers don’t want to lose face or money. This kind of drama was therefore unfortunately predictable. »
