Official Press Release Re: Death of Runner Nick Kruse in the Gobi Race 2010

(8 July 2010, Hong Kong.) RacingThePlanet is deeply saddened by the passing of competitor Nicholas A. Kruse, who died on 3 July 2010, in Urumqi Xinjiang Autonomous Region Hospital in China from complications due to the heatstroke he suffered on Stage 4 of the Gobi March three days earlier.



Many competitors have reached out to tell us about the conversations they had with Nicholas, an American who had lived for a number of years in Shanghai, at the Gobi March, and that it was his dream to visit the Gobi Desert. He seemed to be having the time of his life and struck everyone as an energetic and dynamic young man.


Nicholas was found by a fellow competitor collapsed on the course about 1.5km from the finish line of the 36km long Stage 4. A short time before he was discovered he had been seen walking by a race medical doctor, in good spirits in no apparent difficulty, and had declined an offer of additional water.


A very short time after he was discovered, two more competitors arrived at Nicholas’ location and one of them ran for camp to alert officials, arriving around 4:00pm.


An Emergency Room physician was immediately dispatched to assist Nicholas. Intravenous Fluids (IV) were administered to Nicholas in the field and other measures were taken to stabilize him so that he could be evacuated from the course. Camels were dispatched to aid evacuation as this part of the course was not accessible by vehicle.


At 4:40pm on 30 June 2010, an ambulance was called by RacingThePlanet to evacuate Nicholas.


When Nicholas had been stabilized he was brought to a waiting ambulance at approximately 5:30pm and taken to the nearby Turpan Hospital. Two RacingThePlanet event doctors accompanied him, one a Mandarin speaker.


After Nicholas was stabilized and his condition fully assessed he was transferred that evening to Urumqi Xinjiang Autonomous Region Hospital, the hospital with the best Intensive Care Unit in the city. An event medical doctor, who is an Emergency Room practitioner and Mandarin speaker, remained with Nicholas while at the hospital. She reported that he was receiving excellent care, but remained in a stable but critical condition.


It was two days later on Saturday, 3 July, whilst preparations were being made in discussion with his family to transfer Nicholas to Hong Kong that his condition worsened. He passed away at 5:30pm with his girlfriend and brother by his side.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with Nicholas Kruse’s family and friends.

http://www.4deserts.com/pressrelease.php?id=64