ITALIAN rally champion Giulia Maroni has died after plummeting 164 foot to her death while on a hike.
Maroni, 37, was out walking her dog on the Modena Apennines, Italy, when she succumbed to the horror plunge on Sunday.
She was a passionate sportswoman and rally driver and well known in the off-road world, having won the 2021 Italian Cross-Country Rally.
Maroni also participated in the Dakar rally as a co-driver and navigator alongside Luciano Carcheri of the Angelo Caffi Corse team.
According to reports, Giulia was hiking with her partner and dog in the Pizzo dei Sassi Bianchi area when she lost balance and slipped before falling into the gully.
Her partner called the emergency services, who then transported Giulia to the Maggiore hospital in Bologna.
However, she died in the evening from her injuries.
Mountain rescue station chief Nicolas Barattini told local media: “We saw immediately that the woman’s condition was unfortunately very serious.
“It was a tragic fatality, the woman placed her foot badly and slipped.”
The 4X4 Magazine, where she was collaborating as a correspondent and photographer, said: “The week starts with very bad news: an accident in the mountains took away Giulia Maroni, a passionate sportsman and off-roader, who had also collaborated with our magazine. Rip Giulia.”
