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30 treated for hypothermia, one hospitalized during Napa Valley Triathlon

David Kiviat
David Kiviat

Yesterday’s HITS Napa Valley Triathlon took place in cooler than normal conditions, which resulted in one triathlete being taken to the hospital and 30 others treated for hypothermia. According to CBS San Francisco, the temperature at Lake Berryessa where the swim took place was 37 degrees Fahrenheit — that’s 3 degrees Celsius.

The hospitalized participant made it onto the bike course before going down and requiring immediate medical attention for hypothermic symptoms.

HITS Napa Valley Triathlon offers a wide range of races, including distances all the way from the sprint up until the full distance. It is unclear which distances the 30 treated triathletes were competing in.

As an early season triathlon, the risk for hypothermia is higher. For triathletes with upcoming races in North America during the the spring time, minimize your risk of hypothermia with wetsuits designed for cold-weather swimming such as the Blueseventy Thermal Helix with accompanying thermal cap, boots and gloves. It’s also important to dress warm on the bike after getting out of a cold water swim. Products like these pieces from Castelli are designed with cold-weather riding in mind.