Montane Spine Race and Challenger
Second-place Shocker in Montane Spine Race
Press Release / 17.01.2019
As the MONTANE Spine Race enters its fifth night, Eugeni Roselló Solé (ESP) in a tragic turn of events, pulls out of the race with only 6 km to go.
During the night, a Montane Spine Race safety team attended a refuge hut in the Cheviots. The open tracking system, which all competitors carry and which is monitored 24 hours a day during the race, had indicated that he had not moved onward from the hut for some time. The safety team discovered Roselló Solé to be suffering from the effects of the cold weather conditions. He was medically checked by the team who cleared him to continue with the race, which he did for short time before becoming aware that he couldn’t go any further.
This must have been a gut wrenching decision by the Spanish athlete who was on course to finish in second place overall and set new men’s course record. But clearly drawing on his considerable racing experience he chose to activate the emergency button on his tracker. He was met shortly afterwards by the Montane Spine Race safety team.
Roselló Solé’s unfortunate withdrawal from this race gave the second place overall finisher title and first male position to Eion Keith (IRL). Finishing in a time of 98h 18m 23s, the Irish former course recordholder said he was happy with his 268 mile race. Speaking after finishing the course he said, “Jasmin [Paris] didn’t just beat my course record, she destroyed it. I think her record will last for a long time as nobody will be able to better that… well, except probably Jasmin.”
The overall place for third position and second overall male, was taken by John Knapp (GBR), in a time of 102h 19m 23s
Positions in the women’s race remain unchanged, second place, Shelli Gordon (GBR) continues with her swollen ankle to stay ahead of third place Gabriele Kenkenburg (DE). At the time of writing Gordon has just left Bellingham CP at 233 miles in to the race with only 6 miles between her and third place Kenkenburg.
Weather conditions in the Cheviots tomorrow until 5 PM are favourable with clear skies, high visibility and low precipitation. From 5 PM it Is expected to snow consistently in to the night. Visibility will be very poor with gusts of wind up to 45 mph with a windchill as low as -20°C in exposed areas.
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