As is known, the number 13 causes some indigestion to the superstitious. They understand that their mere presence will act as a magnet for bad luck. Hence they avoid it, as the organizers did in the last edition of the popular Na’dalt race – a time trial climb to the Bellmunt sanctuary of Sant Pere de Torelló (Osona) – which this past December 26 marked its 13th edition and which they called , like the ill-fated Ángel Nieto did, like 12 1. Well, not even for those. And things went wrong at the last moment, when they were preparing to present the prizes to the winners of the competition. A trans runner (who had registered in the event as Quima D. although she is federated with a male name and sex) claimed her victory in the female category, something that took the organization by surprise and generated a certain stir among those present. In the end, a Solomonic solution avoided major problems, although there were moments of tension due to the “aggressiveness” of both the protagonist and her companion, the promoters tell La Vanguardia.
Before the start of the climb to the sanctuary (3.8 kilometers of route with a positive gradient of 620 meters) there was nothing to predict that the end of the day would end in controversy. But it happened. Once all the participants had reached the top, the unexpected occurred: a commotion in front of the monitor that showed the final classification. “We were preparing to present the awards when we saw several people arguing. Among them, a trans runner, who was wearing makeup, with earrings, a ponytail…”, explain sources from the Center Excursionista Serragrenyada, organizer of the event. She said that she had won in women and that she had every right to be recognized. As an organization, she caught us off guard. “There had never been a case like this in previous editions.”
In the end, they opted for a Solomonic decision driven, above all, and as they say, by the tone of the protagonist of the story and her male companion. “They got quite aggressive. They told us that they were going to report us. “It was a bit of a tense situation.” Solution? She was awarded the provisional victory in the general classification (with which she took home a ham as a prize) while she did not make the podium in the senior women’s category. Quima D. (who usually competes in mountain races and always as a man, in registration and appearance, at least until last December 26) seemed to be satisfied with this outcome, which did not prevent her from a few boos from the respectable audience, possibly due to the attitude shown.
In this way, Laia Montoya (who had won the two previous editions and who in the 12th 1st had been behind Quima in the time table) took one minute and 22 seconds longer than the provisional winner to cover the 3.8 kilometers of the time trial-) had to settle for climbing to the top of the podium in the senior women’s category. “Of course, the next day we also sent him a ham home,” the organization points out.
In order to avoid the repetition of a similar situation in future editions, the Center Excursionista Serragrenyada contacted the Federació d’Entitats Excursionistes de Muntanya (FEEC) to explain what happened. It is the federations that have the power to draft a regulation in this regard. The problem is that the FEEC did not have the rule written, as is the case with many other federations. Sources from the organization, which has an inclusion area, explain to this newspaper that they had been working on the new regulations for “more than a year” and that they did not arrive “in time to include it in the new statutes [they hold two assemblies a year, in May and November].” Hence, it is expected that the new rule will become a reality in May.
Although they are still finalizing the final wording (they have consulted, among others, the Department of Equality and Feminisms of the Generalitat to shape the text), they are clear that, in general terms, the articles will be similar to those of other federations, for What in all mountain races will be the sex stipulated in the DNI of each participant that determines in which category each one can run. Once the rule is in force, the Na’dalt organization will retroactively determine the official winners of the 2023 edition.
Organizers and the federation cannot help but be astonished by what happened. Above all, because Quima (until last December 26 at least) had always participated in mountain races as a man, the same gender with which she is still federated today. Even his mountain runner record in ITRA (International Trail Running Association), which is responsible for evaluating and scoring trail running races, appears under the name of Quim. This newspaper has tried, without success, to contact this person via social networks.
“We have no desire to argue or get any profit out of this situation,” the organization argues. “Our intention is for the days to pass and for everything to return to its place. We respect all groups,” they conclude.
