- Title: Runners brave Bolivia's infamous 'Highway of Death' in sixth annual Skyrace
- Date: 31st July 2017
- Summary: LAS YUNGAS, BOLIVIA (JULY 30, 2017) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT OF BOLIVIAN MOUNTAINS AND HIGHWAY OF DEATH ROAD SHOT OF RACER PARTICIPANTS RUNNING UP MOUNTAINSIDE WITH FOG RACE PARTICIPANT RUNNING UP MOUNTAIN ON HIGHWAY OF DEATH CLOSE UP OF RUNNER CLOSE UP OF CROSS (MARKING SITE OF DEATH OF SOMEONE ALONG THE HIGHWAY OF DEATH) WITH RUNNER IN BACKGROUND RUNNER WITH BYSTANDERS ENCOURAGING HIM ALONG PROFILE OF RUNNER ALONG HIGHWAY OF DEATH WIDE SHOT OF RACE COURSE - HIGHWAY OF DEATH PROFILE OF RUNNER ALONG HIGHWAY OF DEATH RACE PARTICIPANT RUNNING UPHILL RUNNER HIGH UP IN THE HILLS WITH LOWER ELEVATION IN BACKGROUND RACE PARTICIPANT RUNNING UPHILL SHOT OF RACE PARTICIPANT'S FEET AND PAN TO WHOLE BODY AS HE RUNS UPHILL RUNNER HIGH UP IN THE HILLS WITH LOWER ELEVATION IN BACKGROUND RACE PARTICIPANT RUNNING ALONG WINDING HIGHWAY OF DEATH RACE PARTICIPANT RUNNING UPHILL RACE PARTICIPANT RUNNING WITH FOLIAGE IN FOREGROUND MAN CLAPPING AND ENCOURAGING RACERS MEN'S RACE WINNER, RONALD IVAN DE LA RIVA RENDON, RUNNING UPHILL RENDON CROSSING THE FINISH LINE RENDON RECEIVING FIRST PLACE MEDAL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BOLIVIAN RUNNER, RONALD IVAN DE LA RIVA RENDON (WHO FINISHED FIRST IN MEN'S RACE) SAYING: "Well, it's a beautiful landscape but I was barely able to see anything because I was so focused on my rhythm and trying to reach the goal as fast as possible. Well, the training that I did was worth the effort. Of all the races I've participated in this is my first podium and first place." RACE PARTICIPANT RUNNING TOWARD FINISH LINE RACE PARTICIPANT CROSSING FINISH LINE ANOTHER RACE PARTICIPANT CROSSING FINISH LINE RACE PARTICIPANT RECEIVING MEDAL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ORGANIZATION (SKYRACE 13 IMPACTO SOCIAL) ORGANIZING THE RACE, BEATRIZ GARCIA, SAYING: "It's a race of 28 kilometers that goes along the famous "highway of death" leaving from the town on Yolosa and ending in Chuspipata. Today almost 200 Bolivian runners, men and women, raced and there were also many racers representing different countries; we have racers from Spain, from France, from Italy and we have racers who came from Brazil." WOMEN'S FIRST PLACE RUNNER, PAMELA CUSICANQUI OLIVARES RUNNING UPHILL OLIVARES CROSSING FINISH LINE OLIVARES RECEIVING MEDAL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FIRST PLACE FINISHER IN WOMEN'S RACE, PAMELA CUSICANQUI OLIVARES, SAYING: "The whole world talks about the highway of death, it's incredible to have run it, to have crossed all those precipices, but you can enjoy such a view, such a countryside, you go upwards and see the fog and that's another beautiful view for your eyes and for your soul, you really feel like you're racing in the sky." PEOPLE ON BICYCLES DESCENDING THE HIGHWAY OF DEATH
- Embargoed: 14th August 2017 15:41
- Keywords: BOLIVIA YUNGAS RUNNING RACE SKYRACE
- Location: YUNGAS, BOLIVIA
- City: YUNGAS, BOLIVIA
- Country: Bolivia
- Topics: Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016S1SUV7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The sixth annual Bolivian Skyrace was held Sunday (July 30) with racers from around the world taking part in a grueling uphill climb along Bolivia's infamous 'Highway of Death.'
Bolivia's skyrace is one of the world's most difficult races with participants climbing some 1,800 meters (5,900 feet approx.) over 28 kilometers (17 miles approx.). The race ends at over 3,000 meters (9,800 feet approx.) above sea level and winds along the sides of the mountains that rise out of the Bolivian Amazon.
This is the sixth edition of the Skyrace and over 200 runners took part in the race with individuals coming from Bolivia, Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Russia, Spain, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Peru and Uruguay.
The first place women's finisher was Pamela Cusicanqui Olivares with a time of 3:30:24 and the first place men's finisher was Ronald Ivan de la Riva Rendon with a time of 2:39:35. Olivares commented, "The whole world talks about the highway of death, it's incredible to have run it... you really feel like you're racing in the sky."
The event is run by the Bolivian organization, I3 Impacto Social, a group that aims to "invest in innovative enterprises to improve the quality of life in communities at a socio-economic disadvantage," according to its website. This year, the race is also contributing to two Bolivian social initiatives: for every runner inscribed, 20 Bolivian Bolivianos will be donated to the Senda Verde Animal Refuge and 15 US Dollars will be donated to the Metro Parada Juvenil, a social project for street children in El Alto, a low-income zone of Bolivia's capital. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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