Farewell ‘Lolo’.
Anne-Marie Dunhill / 30.08.2012
The terrible news spread through the social networks last Wednesday, August 22nd. Laurent “Lolo” Fabre of the internationally renowned French adventure racing team Quechua died during a military training exercise in the Mont-Blanc at the age of 44.
An instructor in the French mountain military school, the EMHM, Laurent was accompanying three students when he fell on the “arête des Papillons”, Aiguille de Peigne.
Married to Valentine Malavoy Fabre and father of a pre-teenage son, Laurent had an outstanding military career beginning in 1994. He was buried with military honors in Chamonix.
Those are the sad facts but behind the facts there are people, and judging by the endless stream of tributes that have been published recently, Laurent touched countless lives in many different milieu with his joie de vivre, infallible good humor and quick jokes. As with most dramatic events, all of us here in France in the adventure racing scene will remember exactly what we were doing when we learned the earth shattering news.
At the Grand Raid des Pyrenees this last weekend on the podium Dawa Sherpa of the trail running branch of the team Quechua dedicated his win on the 80km to Laurent.
Vincent Delebarre, also of team Quechua, who came in second on the 160km wrote movingly in French of his difficult race, “No, I didn’t capitulate. Rarely in trail running have I dug as deep in my reserves as I did at that point. And I know exactly why I did it. Admittedly not for much, only for the notion of holding on to someone you love or have loved. Thank you Lolo… this effort was for you. This effort Lolo, which I know you know the taste of and how to hold on to it, I dedicate to you, quite simply, with respect and in memory of you, forever”.
The adventure racing team Quechua are a tightly knitted group. It is difficult to imagine their pain as only last weekend they were actively preparing to race in the World Champs in the Alps next month.
As SleepMonsters reporters we often photographed and reported on their exploits around the world; it was always a pleasure to spot their bright green kit in the distance, knowing that no matter what the conditions, be it physical or mental, they would always have at least a quick smile and never a harsh word. Sorting through years of photo archives for this article assuaged some profound sadness, seeing visual proof of what is written above.
Thank you Laurent for being you, for your kindness, easy going smile and laughter, it was a true privilege to know such an outstanding athlete and gentleman.
Everyone at SleepMonsters extends their heartfelt condolences to your wife and son, family, friends and colleagues, and to team mates Rudy Guoy, Frank Gorry, Yves Bilodeau, Elodie Bourgeois-Pin, Thomas and Sandrine Monier.
Sources:
Generation Trail
Quechua
EMHM Ministry of Defense
