Fatal Events Related to Running Competitions in the Mountains

Abstract

Introduction: The few epidemiologic studies published previously about different forms of mountain running (ie, fell running, sky running, and ultratrail running) have not reported on fatal events. This report aims to contribute to the literature on mountain running fatalities, recording and classifying fatal events related to mountain running competitions found in online literature searches over a 12-y period.

Methods: From 2008 to 2019, searches on mountain sport, mountain races, and newspaper websites were periodically performed, looking for fatal events related to running competitions in the mountains. Data are presented as mean±SD or percentage, as appropriate.

Results: Fifty-one fatal events, involving 45 men (88%) and 6 women (12%), aged 50±11 and 46±6 y, respectively, were recorded in the 2008 to 2019 period in Western Europe. These events occurred during races (n=35; 69%), during training (n=13; 25%), and after races (n=3; 6%); 43% were sudden cardiac death, 32% due to falls (blunt trauma), 16% due to hypothermia, 4% due to both blunt trauma and hypothermia, 4% due to lightning strike injuries, and 2% due to animal attack (injuries from deer).

Conclusions: Understanding all of the causes of fatal events is necessary to institute preventative efforts and to organize rescues. Preventative efforts should be implemented by race organizers and by athletes themselves, and rescue teams can be trained and equipped to address all of these possible events. The relatively high percentage of sudden cardiac deaths stresses the need for preparticipation cardiovascular screenings. Further longitudinal studies are necessary to better understand the real impact of fatal events on the mountain running population.

Keywords: blunt trauma; hypothermia; mountain running; sudden cardiac death.