14 DAY TRIAL // Sunday's Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon in San Francisco has ended in tragedy, with one participant dying of a heart attack.
The death of the 46-year-old competitor from Austin, Texas, whose name has not been released to the press, marks the first incident of this kind in 33 years, since the race was debuted.
The man apparently entered cardiac arrest within seconds after jumping in the cold waters of the bay. Last year, the race was held in June, and contestants did not have to brave the cold water.
"Was it colder than normal? Yes. But in my opinion, the water temperature was not a factor at all in this tragedy. [...] This gentleman obviously had a heart condition he was unaware of," explains race director Bill Burke for the San Francisco Gate.
"What happened today was very, very sad. It underscores that athletes need to be checked carefully by a cardiologist before pushing themselves," he adds.
The 150 participants in the swimming segment of the race faced 51 F (10 C) water temperatures, some ten degrees less than those reported in the month of June.
In addition to that, 11 mph (17.7 kph) winds and air temperatures in the mid-50s F (10 C) were recorded in the area on Sunday.
The race will be held in June once again, starting next year. It consists of a 1.5-mile (2.4-km) swim, an 18-mile (29-km) bike ride and 8-mile (13-km) run, which takes athletes through the Golden Gate Park and along the city's waterfront
2000 people entered this year's competition, whose winners were 29-year-old Spanish contestant Javier Gomez and 28-year-old Heather Jackson of San Diego.
"It was horrible. It was so choppy and so cold. Every stroke was a mouthful of water. [...] I was just focusing on getting out of the water," she notes.