Cyclists hospitalized after crash at World Police and Fire Games By: Joshua Frey-Sam Posted: 1:59 PM CDT Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023 Last Modified: 9:15 PM CDT Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023 Updates

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Three cyclists were hospitalized after a crash Wednesday morning at a World Police and Fire Games event at Birds Hill Provincial Park.

Four other riders sought treatment on their own, confirmed Mike Edwards, chief operating officer of the Games.

“We can also report that all athletes are in stable condition,” Edwards said, although he wouldn’t say if those admitted to the hospital were men or women.

Neck and arm braces were placed on several victims at the scene.

The event triggered a brief ‘Code Orange’ at HSC’s adult emergency room, but it ended about 45 minutes later. It is generally activated in response to a potential mass casualty event, according to Shared Health.

The collision occurred around 10:15 a.m. in the men’s 55+ and all-women’s heat of the 55-kilometre road race event, where South Drive meets Festival Drive.

About 40 riders in all were approximately 13 kilometres into their race.

Paramedics from a STARS helicopter and seven ambulances arrived on the scene.

The road race, part of the Games’ street cycling events, was cancelled, said Edwards.

“All other races and competitions will continue. They are on different routes, different courses, and we are just doing a review of all our courses to ensure that we have them in top safety conditions, as athletes’ safety is our top priority,” he said.

The race was the first of four scheduled for Wednesday.

Janet Stringer, who was in the lead group when the crash occurred, said she was travelling 52.1km/h at the time of the crash.

“All these bikes (were) down within five to 10 seconds,” Stringer said, while being treated for abrasions on her left elbow.

“I don’t know how many were behind, but the leaders were at the front of this group and somebody — I mean, there was a crash. Someone rode out of turn or I’m not sure what happened, I wasn’t at the front, but several cyclists went down and then it just becomes a case of, ‘Can you avoid it or do you end up in the middle of it?’ and all these riders ended up in the middle of it.”

The crash hit close to home for road race co-ordinator Darrell Hees, a 22-year member of the Winnipeg Police Service.

Hees, 52, competed in the same event at the 2015 WPFG in Fairfax, Va., and was seriously hurt in a crash that claimed the life of a Brazilian cyclist.

Eight years later, the details remain fresh in his memory.

Hees said his front tire blew out seven km into the race while on a downhill stretch, causing a collision with two other racers and sending him tumbling into a wooden barricade at 70 km/h He broke his neck, fractured 14 ribs and punctured a lung, knocking him out of duty for more than a year.

Brazilian rider, Carlos Silva, died on the scene from head trauma, while the other rider endured a long recuperation from his injuries.

“I don’t remember the accident, I was just told what happened. But this is something that I think about quite often,” Hees said, just before Wednesday’s race began.

He said the WPFG is a significant event for him. Ahead of the race, he addressed the riders, telling the story of his crash and reminding them to ride safely. The crash occurred about 15 minutes later.

“I ensured when I co-ordinated these events that all our (jerseys) had, ‘In memory of Carlos Silva’ on the bottom. For me, that was something important to do,” Hees said.

He has since completed the race almost every year since his accident in memory of Silva, and was supposed to compete in the 3:30 p.m. heat on Wednesday.

“We’re very competitive, but we’re also very supportive about all our brothers and sisters, whether it’s in police enforcement, paramedics or fire that were involved in these games… and looking forward to the next competition so we can go out and race each other there,” he said.

Hees wore a Brazilian bike jersey with a picture of Silva on it as he rushed to the aid of the injured cyclists.

He did not spreak following the collision, referring questions to the Games organizing committee.

Edwards said it’s not clear how the Birds Hill crash began.

“None of those specifics have come in. It’s unfortunately an element of the sport as athletes race close to each other,” he said.

“What I can say is we are very pleased and, to be honest, overwhelmed with how fast the medical team responded both on-site as well as from health services to get their ambulances out there to make sure the athletes were taken care of.”

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jfreysam

Joshua Frey-Sam
Reporter

Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh.

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