Musher Martie Van Den Broek passes away while competing at the Pampa 2009 Sleddog Race 

07 Dec 2009 - Number 92 didnt make it to the finish

Martie Van Den Broek, competing in the Scooter 2 dog class, collapsed 800m before the finish line. Fotographers took a foto of his team, still happy and unconcerned. When they turned their back though, Martie was already lying on the ground. Help immediately arrived and many people started and continued giving first aid until the MUG (Medical Urgence Team) arrived. Martie didn't make it.

The whole Pampa Crew expresses their condolences to the family and friends of Martie. A lot of people were doing all they could to save Martie: the fotographers who called the medical team and kept the dogs, mushers arriving and helping on the scene, the race marshall, vet and secretary who gave first aid together with friends and mushers, the trail team who effectively closed down the trail for teams still on the trail, the MUG team, the people from "Slachtofferhulp" (thanks Jesse) and many many more ... you can all be very proud of yourselves.

A big "thumbs up" goes also to all the mushers who respected the organisation's choice to cancel the Saturday run, and keep the Sunday run without competition. And thanks to the AntooN and his band, who understood that the time was not right for a party.

Martie signed up and filled in the details for the speaker, and when you read it, you clearly see that he loved every bit of it!