More than a thousand athletes have participated this morning in the Itziar Memorial. /
The wind marks a very emotional edition in Getxo, in memory of the late Dimas Ramos, in which 1,167 participants take the start
Getting closer to last year’s participation figures with three more tests organized for the day in Bizkaia yesterday set the bar high again for one of the most emotional editions in memory of the Itziar López de Uralde Memorial in Getxo, in which they won with solvency by Igor García Zarraga and Nerea Iturriaga González, in the men’s and women’s sections, respectively. The 1,167 members of the federation and fans have encountered the strong wind as an added enemy, as happened in 2021, when 1,400 people have started in this dean event sponsored by EL CORREO.
In terms of sports, the winner of the men’s general – in addition to being the best veteran – could not hide his satisfaction because it was his farewell to the Club Atlético Getxo to which he belongs. He will change teams in 2023. “It was my last year in Getxo and I wanted to say goodbye in style,” he said happily. Garcia got the best position from him because “usually he was eighth or ninth.” He explained that “the race started more slowly because of the wind, so we had to take advantage of the opportunity that was open.”
He has entered the Fadura athletics track with an advantage of about 100 meters over his pursuer. Enough. “I pushed to the maximum and I managed to cut some distance, but it was impossible,” Gorka Blasco acknowledged after the arrival.
Club Atlético Getxo was the team winner and shone because after Gorka Blasco (Mungia AT), second overall, Jon Pascual entered to complete the podium. Belonging to the same team from the coastal municipality, he also took the award for completing the fastest climb. There he played it, although he did not turn out as expected. «I have thrown on the slope and I have gone. I didn’t get enough of an advantage and they caught me on the descent of Sarrikobaso». He recognized the young Pascual who expended too much energy on the ascent. The two athletes knew how to take advantage of it and surpass him on the descent.
In women, Nerea Iturriaga has made an exhibition although she has saved energy during the tour. «I have been preserving myself by the wind. This is the fourth time that she has participated in the test. One year I was third », she has remembered her. The silver has been for Leire Landa, who did not even have a reference ahead when entering four and a half minutes behind the winner. “I haven’t even seen him,” she admitted. Both are 26 years old and were “satisfied” with the result achieved.
Tribute to Dimas Ramos
But the Itziar López de Uralde Memorial has experienced a very special edition. Apart from the tribute to the athlete who was run over in 1982 when she was training, there was also a reminder for Dimas Ramos, who died a few days ago. «He was the one who relaunched the race. I grew up in Fadura with him”, recalled the person in charge of Sports of the Getxo City Council. Álvaro González was then a young man dedicated to rugby, while Ramos was already an institution focused on promoting sports in the municipality, including athletics. “It was incredible because all doors opened with him wherever you went.” It did not matter to go to a sportswear multinational than to a championship, the councilor gave as examples. Ramos has been “a great loss” because he was the one who “relaunched this Getxo memorial”, as he admitted. A minute of silence was observed in his memory.
Aritz Pérez Olea himself, director of the race and president of the Getxo Athletics Club, has admitted that “I took over from Dimas six years ago at the Itzia López de Uralde Memorial; It is a lot of work because 150 volunteers are needed for the test and it is difficult to get them ». Pérez highlights the figure of this man who is always devoted to sports.
Memory for Carlos Eizaguirre
Family and friends of Carlos Eizaguirre upon reaching the finish line of the Fadura sports center. /
But the appointment gave for more. As soon as they crossed the finish line, a group of about 40 people began to hug each other and celebrate. They were fathers, mothers and children who wanted to make a gesture to remember Carlos Eizaguirre Irujo, who passed away on October 4 at the age of 49. «He liked to run a lot; He did ‘canicross’ », a modality that consists of doing cross-country with your dog.
This group of family and friends created a logo to enter together: ‘Run Charly Run’. Jaime, his older brother, contained his emotion because he knows that he “would be proud” of the memory they gave him. “This last month we have been training to participate in the race,” admitted a member of the group. And it is that this race that is a symbol of athletics party, always holds surprises.
