Over time, the organization of the La Campanaria race that will take place in Ajijic began, after the Indigenous Community granted its permission for the realization of this competition on August 24, although with various changes.
This year it will not have the character of Ultra Trail, because there are not enough sponsorships to reward the winners of the “El Tecuán” route of 43 kilometers, so only the “Copal Chino” routes of 9.1 kilometers will be run and “La Campanaria” of 14.
After several weeks of uncertainty, Daniel “Charol” Urzúa confirmed that it was at the last assembly held on July 28, where the Indigenous Community gave his permission after considering the work done in the mountains by the Salvaje Club.
And since the first edition of La Campanaria in 2014, the Salvaje Club has done the cleaning of roads and routes, in addition to complying with the payment of the percentage requested by the community members about the registration.
As for the percentage that must be paid to the villagers, the organizer said that it has not yet been determined and will be until after the competition since the number of competitors who are going to participate is unknown.
The competition will be financed with part of the registrations that will cost 300 pesos per participant and with the “few” sponsorships that are already in place, to carry out the race that is limited to 300 runners.
“For the run we don’t have many sponsors, but the important thing is not to lose the race and give it continuity this year, where only 9.1 and 14 kilometers run, and we hope to resume the 43 next year,” he said.
He said that this year there will be no t-shirts due to the lack of sponsorships, in addition to having to prepare one month in advance; however, the first 100 participants will receive a tubular which can be given different uses.
At the end of the competition, there will be medals and cash prizes for the first three places of routes 9.1 and 14 kilometers, being 2,500 pesos for the first place, 1,500 for the second and 1,000 pesos for the third.
Trophies made by children from the sculpture workshop based on pochote thorns and some other crafts such as backpacks and other items, prepared by members of the Salvaje Club, will also be delivered.
It is not yet defined, but the organizers seek to offer an extra bonus to those who break last year’s records, “with the aim of having a good level in the race, something that motivates the runner to give more.”
The first place on the “La Campanaria” route, Varonil branch, went to Alberto Arrayga, who crossed the finish line with a time of 1 hour, 26 minutes and 6 seconds, while in the Women’s branch, América Romero, registered 1 hour, 52 minutes and 5 seconds.
As for the “Copal Chino” route, Varonil branch, the first place went to Carlos David C., who finished with a time of 50 minutes 26 seconds, and in the Women’s branch, Wendy Ramírez, when closing with a chrono of a hour 10 minutes
The exit and the finish line will be installed on the Ajijic boardwalk, with a starting flag at 8 in the morning for participants on the 14 km route and at 9 for those on the 9.1 km route, who will have hydration and medical services.
He mentioned that so far there has been no rapprochement with the authorities of the City of Chapala, “but we hope to have your support, they usually always support us.”
Registration is open at the farm marked with number 22 of Javier Mina Street, in Ajijic, through Facebook in the Ultra Trail Campanaria account, and in Habitat and Verimanía Sports in Guadalajara.
On May 26, the Indigenous Community of Ajijic agreed to grant permission to the organizers to make use of a part of the hill that is owned by a presidential decree, in exchange for the payment of a percentage of the registrations.
The villagers asked to be paid 15 percent of each registration, which was described as unfair by Urzúa, who proposed to pay them 5 percent, in addition to continuing with the work of cleaning roads and routes, but they refused.
“After all, we were able to reach an agreement and although the percentage we are going to pay has not been determined, we will continue to clean the roads and routes as we have been doing,” he concluded.
As a curious fact, Urzúa shared that since the 43-kilometer route will not be taken, at least five people expressed their interest in running the 14-kilometer route twice “as a personal challenge.”
Source: www.paginaquesiselee.com , semanariolaguna
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