SPAIN: Thousands of Spaniards and tourists kick off traditional San Fermin bull runs in Pamplona
- 00:00:32
- ITN Source
SPAIN: Thousands of Spaniards and tourists kick off traditional San Fermin bull runs in Pamplona
Thousands of Spaniards and tourists kicked off the first 2007 San Fermin bull run in Pamplona, Spain, on Saturday (July 07). Although people from this Northern Spanish city pride themselves on the punctuality of the eight bull runs during the annual festival, high attendance delayed the start of the first run by six minutes. Runs normally kick off at 0600 GMT, but at that time on Saturday morning police were still cleaning up the mess a drunken crowd of revellers had left behind after a night of non-stop partying and alcohol drinking that usually precedes these world famous bull runs. Organizers believe that the number of attendants swelled this year because the festival's first "encierro", or releasing of the bulls which takes place in the morning of each day of the eight-day festival, fell on a weekend this year. The released bulls fight the "toreros," or bullfighters, later in the day. The first encierro is always on July 7. The animals are freed onto the packed streets for a 825-meter course leading to the bull ring. On Saturday morning, thousands of runners, the vast majority of whom were men, packed the streets of the route wearing the festival's traditional white clothing and little red neck scarves. The San Fermin festival, which gained worldwide fame in Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel 'The Sun Also Rises', walks hand in hand with partying crowds ingesting enormous amounts of alcohol. Runners are volunteers and the course involves danger. Since record-keeping began in 1924, 13 people have been killed at the festival. The last fatality was an American killed in 1995. Overcrowding increases the danger of the event. Some participants, like veteran Spanish San Fermin runner Miguel, do their best to act responsibly during the festival. "You must be somewhat fresh, try not to be drunk but in good shape instead. Appropriate shoes are also important and it's key not to have too many things on you -- only a newspaper," he advised ahead of the run. A rolled up newspaper is traditionally used to prod and guide the bulls during the run. Hundreds of men, and a sprinkling of women, risked their lives in Saturday's run which lasted for two minutes and 40 seconds. The adrenaline-fuelled dash ahead of the six fighting bulls impresses participants and onlookers from all over the world every year. "All I know is: run with the pack. If the pack splits up then apparently it's a little bit scary. Bulls go nuts so hopefully I'll just slide along.," Australian tourist Tim Hein said ahead of participating in the run. "I"m very excited, also a bit scared," said runner Luis Colley, a Colombian living in the United States, ahead of the run. In the bullfight ring after the run, dozens of men continue to taunt the charging bulls and dodge their horns. Saturday's run concluded with one person in the bull ring being gored in the buttock and another suffered an injury after a bull trampled on him. An ambulance evacuated both participants. Thousands of participants and onlookers will continue to pack the streets of Pamplona for the next seven days. Organizers expect a total of over one million people to attend the festival that dates back to the 16th Century.
ITN Source | July 7, 2007
