One year after a participant was paralyzed at the start of the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon when another athlete jumped on top of him from the ferry, the start procedure is being completely overhauled this weekend. At the same time, athletes will still continue to jump from the boat to begin their race.
At the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon, participants jump off the deck of a ferry. Last year, that went completely wrong when Jose Perez, a Chicago firefighter and experienced triathlete, had another participant land on him: he was instantly paralyzed. The athlete and the organization are currently still fighting it out in court. It quickly became clear that the organization allegedly allowed too many athletes to jump too quickly in succession, something that is actually not permitted under the applicable start procedure.
In the current Athlete Guide, an entire page is dedicated to ‘the jump’ to start the race. First of all, the jumping will take place in groups based on age category. Subsequently, athletes will jump into the water one by one within those groups. This will only happen once the water into which they are jumping is clear for the next athlete. Meanwhile, the swim is supported by approximately 100 vessels carrying specialists.
In total, there are three jumping locations to start the race this weekend; there will be a ‘starter’ at all three of those locations. Only when this starter gives a signal is an athlete allowed to jump off the boat. This would be in stark contrast to last year, when multiple athletes reported officials shouting like ‘drill sergeants’ for people to jump into the water as quickly as possible, without keeping an eye on whether that water was actually clear of other participants.
This year, the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is being organized for the first time by MARI, a newly founded company focusing on live events. MARI is working together with the PTO, which remains a co-organizer of the race. The PTO is also held responsible for the accident by Jose Perez and is likewise embroiled in a lawsuit surrounding the incident.
