Heat wave at Wilder Kaiser: Three runners collapse at Kaiserkrone Trail

The first documented incident occurred at 10:42 a.m. during the Panorama Run: a 27-year-old Dutchman suffered overheating and had to abandon the race. "Um 10.42 Uhr kam es bei einem 27-jährigen Niederländer beim Panorama-Lauf zu einer Überhitzung, worauf er das Rennen abbrechen musste." The Scheffau mountain rescue team retrieved him from the Kaiser-Hochalm at 1,420 meters above sea level.

First rescue on the Kaiser-Hochalm

Shortly afterwards, another emergency followed: a 39-year-old Dutchman reported acute signs of shock through repeated vomiting. "Nur wenige Minuten nach Eingang des ersten Notrufs meldete ein 39-jähriger Niederländer akute Schockzeichen durch wiederholtes Erbrechen." He had previously abandoned the ULTRA Trail, returned to the Steiner Hochalm at 1,260 meters, and was rescued there by the Scheffau mountain rescue team.

At midday, the third and most severe case occurred: a 35-year-old Austrian collapsed in the area of the descent above the Rehbachklamm gorge. "Zu Mittag schließlich der nächste Überhitzungsfall. Diesmal traf es einen 35-jährigen Österreicher im Bereich des Abstiegs über der Rehbachklamm."

Collapse at the Rehbachklamm

Due to the hyperthermia, the athlete suffered a collapse; the emergency responders measured a core body temperature of 41.3 degrees Celsius. "Aufgrund der Hyperthermie erlitt der Sportler einen Kollaps und die Einsatzkräften maßen bei ihm eine Körperkerntemperatur von 41,3° C." Police thus explained the severity of the situation.

The man was airlifted by rescue helicopter to BKH Kufstein, where he was treated in the shock room until his condition stabilized. "Der Mann wurde mit dem Rettungshubschrauber ins BKH Kufstein geflogen, wo er im Schockraum behandelt wurde, bis sich sein Zustand stabilisierte." The medical emergency was thus initially brought under control.

Helicopter to Kufstein hospital

In total, three rescues by the Scheffau mountain rescue team were required during the competitions. "Im Laufe der Bewerbe kam es zu drei erforderlichen Bergungen durch die Bergrettung Scheffau." The exact health condition of the two Dutch runners was not specified by police; they also received medical care.

The incident casts a spotlight on the risks of endurance competitions in extreme temperatures. Medical experts classify a core body temperature of 41.3 degrees as life-threatening hyperthermia, which can lead to organ failure without rapid treatment. The Kaiserkrone Trail is considered one of the most demanding mountain races in the Alps.