Two Dead After NYC Triathlon
Two participators of the Nautica New York City Triathlon have died due to heart-related conditions. Many others have received medical attention at the event Sunday for less serious problems.
Michael Kudryk, a 54-year-old participator from Freehold, New Jersey, died Sunday of cardiac arrest while swimming in the event. He was found unconscious in the Hudson about a half-mile into the swim stage and was pulled out of the water near 79th Street.
On Monday, the death of a second competitor was reported. The 40-year-old woman experienced difficulty during the swim portion and is said to have suffered a heart attack. Her identity is being withheld at the request of her family.
The triathlon attracts more than 3,000 participants a year and requires competitors to swim 1,500 meters of the Hudson River, bike 40 kilometers along Manhattan’s West Side Highway, and then run 10 kilometers through Central Park.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported comments from the president of Korff Enterprises Inc., a company that organizes sports events, “It’s a tragedy when something like this happens.” John Korff continued, “It’s a tragedy for the family, the triathlon and athletic community. It’s so sad. Our hearts go out to the families.”
Korff said changes were made to the race to improve safety, including smaller swimming groups. Competitors during the swimming portion were sent off in groups of 10 to 25 at a time to reduce dangerous overcrowding in the water, which is common protocol during competitions.
Triathlons have become increasingly popular in the U.S., with a membership of over 135,000 people, according to the USA Triathlon website.
A report by the LA times indicated that deaths due to triathlons may be more likely than death by marathons, and that both present the risk of dehydration, exhaustion, and broken bones. A study in 2009 at the American College in Cardiology found that sudden deaths in triathlons were found to be doubly higher than those in marathons: 1.5 per 100,000 versus 0.8 per 100,000.
New York City will host the Ironman event on August 11, 2010 where competitors will swim 2.4 miles of the Hudson, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles.
