Athletics Canada is asking for help locating Canadian skyrunner Kalie McCrystal, who has been missing in the Alps for eight days.
McCrystal disappeared while attempting to break a mountain-running record in the Matterhorn region.
According to Athletics Canada, she was last seen Tuesday, September 2, after setting out in the mountains.
McCrystal climbed Italy’s Matterhorn, the nearly 4500-metre summit that towers above Zermatt, Switzerland. It was not her first time on the mountain.
The national governing body said McCrystal has years of experience navigating technical, high-altitude terrain and is familiar with the Matterhorn.
“This was therefore not her first ascent of the mountain,” Athletics Canada said in a statement.
“Kalie is a highly respected athlete and a valued member of the worldwide skyrunning community.”
“Our thoughts are with Kalie, her family, and everyone close to her at this extremely difficult time. We are hoping for her safe return and are grateful to those involved in the ongoing search.”
“She’s a world-class athlete, an experienced mountaineer and one of the best sky runners in the world,” Amelia Boultbee, a friend of McCrystal from law school and MLA for Penticton-Summerland, wrote on Facebook.
The search continues.
