Norwegian woman was killed by lightning during 75-mile ultramarathon in Italy 30 minutes after organisers decided to abandon the race
- Unnamed woman, 44, was competing in the 75-mile Südtirol Ultra Skyrace
- She was between aid stations and track marshals had no way of reaching her
- She was found by a group of runners at a 7000ft altitude, about 30 minutes after the race was called off due to adverse weather conditions
A Norwegian woman was killed as she was struck by lightning during an ultramarathon in Italy on Saturday.
The woman, 44, who has not been named, was competing in the 75-mile Südtirol Ultra Skyrace amid stormy weather.
She was between aid stations at the time, and track marshals had no way of reaching her, organisers said.
The woman, 44, who has not been named, was competing in the 75-mile Südtirol Ultra Skyrace amid stormy weather (file photo of the area where she was found)
‘We are shocked and deeply shaken by this tragic accident. We express our deepest condolences to the family of the athlete’ Josef Günther Mair, chair of the Organising Committee of the Südtirol Ultra Skyrace, said in a statement posted to Facebook.
She was found by a group of runners at a 7000ft altitude, about 30 minutes after the race was called off due to adverse weather conditions.
The award ceremony planned for Sunday was cancelled.
Officials said the lightning strike happened around 7.15 in the evening as a group of runners were near a lake named Lago di San Pancrazio, which is at about 6955ft.
‘Athletes who had seem the accident called emergency services’ officials said. ‘After first aid, the injured athlete was flown to Bolzano hospital by the rescue helicopter Pelikan I, where she died from her injuries.’
The 75-mile race is described as ‘the most extreme experience in the Alps’ and sees long-distance runners trek through the Italian Dolomites over three days.