Juan Bastida, winner of Ocean Lava La Manga

The Lorca teacher, of 35 years, completes the test in 9 hours and 3 minutes and proclaims himself winner of the test. Francisco Jerez gets second place and Francisco Aroca is in third position

It was night and they were putting on neoprene. They stretched because in a few minutes they threw themselves into the water. It was night and they clenched their teeth to forget the cramps and fatigue. They just wanted to fool their minds and have their legs take them as far as the finish line. Enter one and another scene thirteen hours of a historic Sunday for regional sport. The first one, at seven o'clock in the morning, in the 'zero zone' of the Ocean Lava, an Entremares hotel with Sunday clothes and that smelled of August. The second, at eight o'clock in the afternoon that was already night, at any point of the Gran Vía, between the Amoladeras and Eurovosa. That was what the 200 heroes who lived yesterday in the first long distance triathlon celebrated on Murcian soil lived first hand. Not everyone could finish. Normal. The Ocean Lava is a test only suitable for elect.

One of them is the Lorca Juan Bastida Ramírez, a teacher of 35 years who teaches Primary in a school in Puerto Lumbreras and yesterday gave an authentic exhibition. No one could bet on him when he came out of the water with thirteen minutes behind the first. The 3,8 kilometers of swimming were for him an authentic torture. But Bastida, in the seventh Ironman of his life, starred in a comeback in the bicycle sector that is only available to the largest. During the 180 miles of road trip - suffering from the heat and struggling against strong gusts of an uncomfortable lebeche wind that blew in the face -, the Lorca was catching rivals and leaving them behind with astonishing ease.

The key of the test was in the last bike ride to a flat and fast circuit, with the only complication of the short and smooth ascent to Monte Blanco. It is true that there was no unevenness or hard climbs. But the problem is that you had to punish the legs with 180 kilometers (equivalent to a flat stage of the Tour of Spain or the Tour de France) and then put the body a marathon of 42 kilometers.

Bastida attacked Ortiz de Urbina on the last bike ride and the race was decided 

There were four Murcia among the top ten and the circuit, flat and fast, liked quite

That Bastida knew, king without discussion of the Ocean Lava La Manga. And that's why Fernando Martínez Ortiz de Urbina, a firefighter who is a regular at the top of the triathlons held throughout the year in Valencia and Catalonia, went for the Elche. Ortiz de Urbina led the race for more than 100 kilometers. His pace was good and nothing foreshadowed his final collapse. But Bastida, grown by his good rhythm pedaling, had him a shot before parking the bicycles. And he did not think about it.

Grown and sunk

He overtook him in the last turn and was able to start the marathon with almost a minute and a half of advantage. Lorca's moral high was so bestial that in his first lap on foot the circuit flew, sprinting at times as if his legs had not heard about the 180 kilometers he had just completed at full speed on his bike. On the contrary, Ortiz de Urbina sank. At the finish line in the first round of the marathon I already had five minutes of disadvantage with respect to Bastida. Then, the distance was opened until 17 absolutely insurmountable minutes. And Ortiz de Urbina was suffering so much that he opted to leave. Sooner or later, I would end up being overtaken by those who came from behind.

Those who had the honor of accompanying on the podium the titan Juan Bastida -who completed the test in a little more than 9 hours- was the Francisco Francisco Sherry, second to almost half an hour of the winner; and Francisco Aroca, a caravaqueño who crossed the line to 58 minutes from Bastida. In fourth place came Pedro Ibáñez from Alicante. Afterwards, the Aragonese Roberto Ansón, from the Cierzo Triathlon of Zaragoza, the Malaga Kay Puentes (from Estepona), the Jerez-born Francisco Rivas and the sanjaviereño Antonio Guardiola entered the finish line. In ninth place came Pedro José Carrillo, a triathlete from Molina de Segura who was encouraged by a legion of family and friends throughout the day. And it closed the 'top ten' Daniel García Zamora. To emphasize also the triumph in the category of Veterans II of the Cartagena Carlos Ortiz García Vaso.

Adverse conditions

When one sets out to travel 180 kilometers by bicycle and other 42 running after spending 3.800 meters swimming he already knows what is exposed. Anything that goes out of the ordinary can cause abandonment. Even one can withdraw without suffering a pájara. Sometimes, the body says 'enough'. And that's what happened to a lot of runners yesterday from three in the afternoon. There was a double cause: the strong heat (27 degrees) that made a lot of pupa during the bike ride and the devilish wind gusts of lebeche that the runners were facing when they had to go down the Monte Blanco, already very tired. The air was rising intensity from noon and ended up being very annoying during the last hours of the test.

Thus, it was not strange to see many triathletes lying in the shade in the median of the Gran Vía, especially at the height of Plaza Bohemia and Cavanna. Others, directly, took the opportunity to look for the closest terrace and hydrate with water and isotonic drinks. For everyone, those who reached the finish line and those who did not, the audience that followed the Ocean Lava from the sidewalks showed signs of affection and affection. Family and friends of the triathletes mingled with anonymous fans, tourists and late vacationers in a vibrant day.

A large network of police, volunteers and officials of the municipalities of San Javier and Cartagena watched over the normal development of an unforgettable event. And is that yesterday the Ocean Lava La Manga, organized by the newspaper 'La Verdad' and Super Power, entered the Peninsula through the Region of Murcia.

More information http://www.lahoradelaverdad.es/