A man from Lugo, seriously ill after suffering a heat stroke on the Great Trail of the Picos de Europa

2023-06-25 04:00:24

The high temperatures that were recorded yesterday throughout Asturias had serious consequences on the Gran Trail Picos de Europa, starting in Benia de Onís, which, in its queen test, proposes a 70-kilometre route in the middle of nature. The more than 30 degrees that the thermometers registered, to which was added such a demanding race, in which, in addition to the distance, a positive difference of 5,300 meters must be overcome, led several athletes to suffer different ailments directly caused by the heat , one of them particularly serious and that put the life of one of the participants at risk.

This is a 38-year-old athlete from Lugo, ILG, who had to be evacuated by helicopter and transferred to the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA), in Oviedo, after suffering a serious illness due to heat stroke. The man arrived at the hospital in very poor condition, with a very serious prognosis, requiring assisted respiration. Late yesterday afternoon, the patient remained intubated in the HUCA ICU, his stable condition being within gravity. The notice of the indisposition of the Lugo arrived at 3:40 p.m., when the heat was most pressing.

Two more athletes had to be transferred by helicopter to a hospital, in this case to the Hospital Comarcal del Oriente de Asturias, in Arriondas. Those in charge of carrying out these two transfers were members of the UHEL of the Civil Guard of Asturias and of the GREIM of Cangas de Onís. The first of these athletes, when the members of the Civil Guard arrived, showed symptoms of exhaustion after suffering a heat stroke in the upper area of ​​La Canal de Culiembro. The notice reached the members of the GREIM at 1:55 p.m. and, with the support of the Civil Guard helicopter, they traveled to the place. Partially supported on a rock, they got out of the helicopter and went to the place where the trail participant was. After an initial exploration, in which it was found that she did not respond to verbal or physical stimuli, it was decided to urgently evacuate her by helicopter to the Arriondas Hospital, where she was admitted and where she gradually recovered and stabilized.

Shortly after, at 3:45 p.m., another alert was received indicating that another runner had muscular problems in the area known as the Mirador de Camba. Again, the Asturias Command helicopter and members of the GREIM from Cangas de Onís moved to the area where the athlete was. After an initial examination, she was evacuated to the same hospital. She was also recovering little by little with the passing of the hours.

These were the most serious damage caused by the heat wave on the Gran Trail Picos de Europa, but there were other runners who suffered less serious ailments, having to be treated in Benia de Onís by the organization’s health facility. There were also other incidents, but more common in this type of competition, such as the broken ankle suffered by one of the runners, who also had to be transferred to the Arriondas Hospital to be treated for the injury.

Jonatan Tejada exhibition

Jonatan Tejada (SM Sherpa), from La Rioja, with victories in the Ultratrail of Canfranc-Canfranc, the Valle de Tena Trail and the Gran Trail de Sobrarbe, was the absolute champion of the Gran Trail Picos de Europa after covering the 70-kilometer itinerary (5,300 meters of positive elevation gain) in 9 hours and 14 minutes. Fran Gutiérrez from Cantabria and Rubén Diéguez from Berciano –second in the last edition and winner, among other races of the Maxi Trail Kangas Mountain– took second (9.44.07) and third place (10.10.40), respectively. In women, the victory in the “queen” race was scored by the Valencian Pilar Montesinos (Trail Requena), with a record of 13 hours 28 minutes and 17 seconds. The second position went to Alisa Prokhorova (independent), with 14.27.35; and third place in Benia de Onís was won by María Gema del Valle from the Canary Islands (CD Cráter 28N, from Barlovento) with 14.31.48. The Gran Trail Picos de Europa (GTPE) had almost 1,400 participants, being represented in the town of Benia de Onís, the starting point and also the subsequent finish line, no less than 27 countries. being 84% of the athletes from outside Asturias. In the distance of 35 kilometers, Christian Gutiérrez (GDM Cabrales-Dotilos) and Esther Márquez won; in 22 kilometers, Alfonso García and Ruth Aldea also won; Pablo Fernández Frade (Atlético Gijonés Fumeru) and Stephanie Ruland triumphed in 10 kilometers.