Tragedy of TDS 2021 | In the Footsteps of the Dukes of Savoy 

Through this film, I was moved once again by the harshness of nature and their courage to face it. I would like to thank you again for filming and screening the film in such an environment. Thank you very much, Stephen and Victoria. Good Luck UTMB 22 !!

Rest in peace . Thank you Stephen for remembering 🙏

What a beautiful video. You got the tone spot on. That last minute was heartbreaking but celebratory

Thanks Stephen for this, I have a tear in my eye as I watch. Good look with the race. I just checked on you and you look like your with Loyd, stay safe.

What a moving film, possibly your finest piece of work to date. I hope this year has gone better for you.

beautiful that was just beautiful ..that has moved me to tears Steve ! thank you for this buddy

Thanks for putting this up, we met the other week at the NDW100 finish and talked briefly about our Devon coast-to-coast experience in 2018. I was also in the 2021 TDS, and was one of those lights further up on the col when it was cancelled. Here is a post I wrote about the hypothermia experienced that night, I was angry at the time, but with hindsight the organisers were doing their best and dealing with an awful set of circumstances. I still think having group shelters in remote places would be a good safety measure: This was a sobering race, with a tragic outcome and some big questions for runners and organisers to reflect on. The accident on the Passeur de Pralognan happened just ahead of me, and I wanted to write down my thoughts while they are fresh. I am sad beyond belief that this happened, it could have been any of us and my thoughts go out to the Czech runners family. Runners, myself included, were then stopped at the top of the massive climb up from Bourg St Maurice, just ahead of the accident site, where we were initially told there would be a short wait to make the passage safe again after a ‘severe accident’. We put all layers on, and got ready to sit out the cold wait; those already suffering with hypothermia symptoms were helped with their foil blankets and encouraged to sit next to a small fire or in the small temporary shelter. After about an hour, runners started queuing up, and were released onto the course in groups of 3 to continue racing AFTER the accident. We were told that we would be ‘re-scanned’ to allow for the time lost while waiting. I have no idea how many runners fit into the group of being allowed to race after the accident, but I saw them leave with my own eyes, where I opted to rest and get warm before leaving- there was no system of calling runners in the order they had arrived at the col, and it was very chaotic with little communication about what was happening. It is untrue that runners following the accident were all stopped, clearly many were allowed to race on, with results clearly showing this, otherwise there would have been far fewer finishers. This 3-by-3 release system onto the risky section was a slow process, and at the same time runners were still being allowed to leave Bourg St Maurice, creating a backlog of hundreds at the top of the climb. We had all available kit on and survival blankets out, all getting very cold. The event team on the col seemed to be getting panicky that the runners arriving would outpace their ability to keep releasing them slowly on the course, leading to a decision to abandon the race. At this point I think I had been on the col for well over an hour, others even longer. After a shorter wait we were then told the race was abandoned (we assumed for all), and that we would have to descend the monster climb all the way back to Bourg St Maurice. This seemed OK to me initially, and it was a joy to start moving to get warm again, but after a hundred metres the queue of runners came to a halt. There was no communication down the line about what was happening, but clearly something was holding us up. Survival blankets back out, and a long battle with hypothermia ensued. Eventually it became clear that the bottleneck was caused by guides insisting on roping a rock step, a feature that when I came to was actually easier without the rope; I can however understand why the security team were nervous given events earlier in the night. Since arriving at the summit, myself and the large group around me had been essentially stationary for 5 hours before being able to move down the climb. This was an incredibly difficult battle with the cold, and downright scary. I question the risk of a slip on this roped rock step on the return climb, versus several hundred runners suffering badly in the cold. Nobody came up the line of runners to check us, or to explain what was going on. I only found out what the problem was when I overheard another runner exasperated on the phone to the organisers. I also can't help wondering what this would have been like if it was raining, or a few degrees cooler, and it has made me rethink 'mandatory kit' as a minimum and to not underestimate the mountains. I for one will always take my survival bivvy bag as well as a blanket in future events. There was lots of chat during the wait about the decision to run the race at a new start time this year, meaning the Passeur de Pralognan had to be run in the dark by all. The feeling was that the UTMB had done this to make for a more crowd/media friendly elite finish time; I’m not sure of the truth behind this, but I have since read many similar remarks about this decision. Running technical terrain in high mountains can never be free of risk, and it is part of the nature of events like TDS to include them, however I do question the contingency planning regarding having to close remote sections of the course unexpectedly. My final thought is regarding the decision to allow some to finish. I certainly don’t blame the runners - they were unlikely to know that hundreds had been left in the cold to fend for themselves, and the tragic circumstances that had unfolded behind them; those managing to get on course after the accident were doing so in good faith not realising there had been a fatality. I do question the ethos of the organiser though, and wonder if all had been informed, if there was a will to continue racing? If I had got to the front of the queue on the col and kept racing, I would only have know that there had been a ‘severe’ accident, but if I was then told in Beaufort that my race was over due to a fatality I think I would have been fully behind the decision, and that it would have been the right thing to do to cancel the race for all, not just some. There is no doubt that the organisers tried to do their best, and had to make hard decisions in difficult and tragic circumstances, however I don't think I will ever race at a UTMB event again. In spite of the second-to-none atmosphere, the numbers in these races seem too big to run safely, and the TDS this year really brought that home for me. Take care out there. Thanks again for uploading and allowing me to reflect with more distance from the event.

That was beautiful, Stephen. Thank you.

Nicely done Stephen. Very sensitively handled.

Beautiful and uplifting film Stephen. Watching the day after my son and myself ran the last third of Cotswold way in readiness for his 2nd attempt at the Century next month. I fell hard after 7 hours, bruised ribs only, but your words at the end echo exactly what l was thinking last night as we trotted into Bath.

Very touching tribute. Lovely words & appreciate the self reflection.

Wow, an extremely tragic story brilliantly told with a positive message at the end. Very good work Stephen.

Love your final words, Stephen! ❤

Thank you for sharing this Stephen - it must have been very difficult to reflect. I think it will be 3rd time lucky for you and I will join you on the start line at midnight on Monday.

Wow, well done on doing this right, and taking the time to get it right. Amazing video

Thank you for this video. Our Czech trail family was devastated by this event.

A great video remembering that poor chap. Heart goes out to his family - Love your content Stephen, keep it up!

A beautiful tribute and life affirming message. Well done

Don't stop running my friend Don't spend your life frozen in fear of what might go wrong because Life is all about taken risks It's the risk takes who turn their lives around or change the world. Very classy, very well said

Lovely tribute Stephen, so heartbreaking 💔

Poignant and respectful. Thanks for making us all think about the sport of running that we all love.

prayers... thats all there is... heartfelt video!!

Good stuff Stephen, nice tribute and a great rallying cry for all us trail runners, I've fallen a fair few times, my wife worries all the time, nothing worse than cuts, bruises, collar bones and ribs cracked though. Must have been awful for you all when the tragic news filtered through. Keep up the good work. (Btw we have said good morning to each other a few times up and around Cissbury).

Thanks for the video Stephen. Beautiful words. Enjoy the race on Monday

Beautiful tribute x

Heartbraking comment at the end!!! Great film and reflection!! Thanks

Powerfully put film that pays a tribute to what we love and the people who we share it with. RIP 😢

Haven't been able to run for 8 months with a bad stress fracture. Puts it in perspective. RIP.

😢😢 A great video Stephen! This is a really a beautiful piece. There's a reason my footage never made it past the gopro, I couldn't come up with a way to do a video. 👏🏻for this one. And yes, I'll see you on the start line monday night!

Beautiful tribute

Beautiful,sombre and uplifting

Must of have been a difficult film to put together but you got the tone right.

what a respectful account. Thank you.

Very well done, a thoughtful view of the race and loss of a fellow runner.. and a reminder that was also someone’s son, brother, husband? I’ve been watching a few videos over the years and some trails are very narrow, and I wonder one of those many times I’ve been running and stumbled on tired legs just even a little, could be the end on some of those paths we forget demand a little respect. Stay safe everyone.

RIP that runner ….. wise words well put Stephen that we should all heed 😔

A great tribute and rallying call to all us risk-takers...

Fantastic

R.I.P. “Like” seems inappropriate but thank you for this Stephan and for handling a tricky upsetting subject so compassionately

I can imagine the feelings after the news. I was at Marathon des Sables in October 2021. On Day 2, a French runner, Pierre, lost his life on the dunes. We were told late at night at the camp when a voice on a microphone in the pitch black announced it to all of us. That was tough, and it probably changed the race and its meaning for many of us, certainly me. Maybe it was a good thing that TDS was abandoned. MdS wasn’t, and the next days didn’t feel good at all. Reflection is important, these events give a better awareness of the challenge but also of what those around us experience. However, life needs to be the lived at its fullest but with a pinch of fear to fully appreciate its value.

Thanks!

That is just sad. Rest in peace to the Czech runner.

Beautifull said

Tough watch. 😪

This is so tragic!

This run did not look in any way a fun experience. Just a bad day or just too much?