Tuesday, July 15, 2008

German Mountain Running Race Turns Deadly

German Prosecutors Probe Death of Athletes in Zugspitze Mountain Race.

According to DW-World.de, "German prosecutors are investigating the tragic chain of events that led to the death of two extreme athletes taking part in an annual race up the country's highest peak, the Zugspitze. Prosecutors opened their investigation on Monday, July 14, a day after freezing temperatures, snow and wind turned the organized endurance race up the Zugspitze into total chaos. Two runners, aged 41 and 45, died of hypothermia and exhaustion as they neared the finish on the 2,962-meter (9,718-ft) mountain. Six other runners who were hospitalized for hypothermia have since been released, police said on Monday."

This extreme mountain race climbs 6889 feet in 16.5k to a finishing elevation of 9718 feet.

Read the full article at: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3485345,00.html

Read about this story on CNN.com

More coverage can be on Spiegel Online International

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