During the night from Friday to Saturday, a man died during the Haut Giffre Ultra-trail in Haute-Savoie. At issue: the weather conditions in which the race was held. For several participants, this sporting event should never have been held.
It was to be a sporting event dedicated to surpassing oneself. Unfortunately, the Haut Giffre Ultra-trail, in Haute-Savoie, turned into a tragedy. One person died and two others were seriously injured, several French media reported.
Around 4:30 a.m., as the rain became very intense, four runners fell during a descent. Unfortunately, the intervention of the rescue teams and the gendarmes was disrupted by the weather conditions and the geography of the area, as explained by the Haute-Savoie prefecture. “As any helicopter flight was impossible, the high mountain gendarmerie platoon arrived in the area by land. The victims could not be airlifted to hospitals in the region until 9:30 a.m..”
Karline Bouisset, the Bonneville prosecutor, specifies that the man died on the spot of a cardiorespiratory arrest. As for the injured, one suffered head and shoulder trauma, and the other suffered head and pelvic trauma. Fortunately, their vital prognosis is not compromised. Note that around ten other runners were rescued for minor injuries.
Furious participants
And yet, the organizer of the race, David Justo, was aware of the risks present during the race. “We have done everything to ensure that you complete the entire course. It was complicated. It’s not asphalt, it’s mountains. So I’m going to ask you to be very, very careful (…)” he said on the start line on Friday.
The day after the tragedy, there was indignation among the participants. “Why was the start given? The organization didn’t have access to weather forecasts?“, “I’m mad. I saw before my eyes people falling 300 meters and getting injured, screaming in fear.“, testify runners.
In order to see more clearly the exact circumstances of this accident and the numerous injuries, the prosecutor will open an investigation.on the precise circumstances of these accidents and establish or rule out possible criminal liability“.
France Haute-Savoie trail accident race
