Raid Ukatak

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Lost team recovered and safe

Rob / 21.01.2003

While the search for missing team BCG_ING continued Martin Forgues struck out bravely from their camp to fetch help. At 18 he is one of the youngest competitors in the race and it was a risky decision to leave his team mates and set off alone, but it turned out well as he reached CP5 safely. It was ‘only’ 3km away and he pinpointed the spot where the 3 remaining team members were camped out so race staff could organise their rescue.

It’s an indication of the difficulty of the terrain and the severity of the weather that they had to stop so close to the CP and a search lasting several hours had failed to find them. However, they were off the expected route and though they had broken the seal on their emergency radio and called for help, the signal had failed before they could say where they were.

Having the right equipment to camp out safely in the freezing temperatures undoubtedly saved the situation from being any worse and a helicopter will return them to La Malbaie hospital where their condition can be checked. Initial information is that they are fine, but the team member who fell into the river has hypothermia. (It is either Frederik Guay, the team captain, or Martin’s brother, Jerome, also one of the youngest competitors aged just 20.)

The team has been expecting to do well, as they are all local biathletes and have experience in the area, including the 100km Traversee de Charlevoix. Their knowledge of the region and ability to deal with the cold will have helped them pull through, as will the fact 2 of them have medical training in their jobs as ambulance technicians.

As the race resumes the organisers will have to try and restore the race positions, perhaps by setting teams off at the same intervals they arrived in, or more likely by time adjustments at the finish. They will also have to look at extending the course closure time or shorten the route to bring timings back into line with original expectations.See All Event Posts