A runner got a fishing hook in his calf in the middle of a half marathon in Finland’s biggest running event in Helsinki.
At the Helsinki City Running Day half-marathon, a special situation was seen on Saturday, when the Estonian who competed for the top places Leonid Latsepov a hook caught in the leg in the middle of the performance.
When Latsepov crossed the Lauttasaari bridge, known as a popular herring fishing spot, a fisherman raised his line from the sea right at him. A gust of wind threw it straight at the Estonian runner, whose calf got caught by the fishing line. A herring line may have up to a dozen hooks. In Maal’s first aid at the Olympic Stadium, four fishing hooks were removed from Latsepov, some from his clothes and some from his leg.
The event was organized by the Finnish Sports Association, SUL.
Director of the running event Harri Hänninen suspects that the fisherman sneaked to the wrong side of the bridge to fish just when there were no runners on the bridge.
– In principle, we have instructed fishermen to leave the side of the bridge where the route runs. However, the other side of the bridge would have been a free fishing area for us.
So the fisherman had fished on the wrong side of the Lauttasaari bridge.
– Of course, a sad and shocking event. All in all, an unfortunate coincidence.
Hänninen explains that the running route runs from the north side of the Lauttasaari bridge. The fishermen, on the other hand, are usually on the south side of the bridge.
– This northern side should have been free of fishermen. Fishermen were informed by both traffic control and the police that you cannot fish on the bridge during the runs.
The route will not be changed
The race, which starts near the Helsinki Olympic Stadium and ends at the stadium, is Finland’s largest running event. The half-marathon was run for the 44th time, and a record 17,200 participants took part in the entire event.
The Lauttasaari bridge has essentially been part of the half marathon route throughout Hänninen’s five-year leadership of the event.
– We are certainly not going to make changes to the route based on this. We plan to bring one more instructor to the Lauttasaari bridge in the future. He immediately specifically removes potential fishermen.
According to Hänninen’s memories, similar “troubleshooting” has never happened before in that running event.
– There are various signposts and warning signs on the route, as well as two hundred traffic controllers. I know that in history there has been talk from the side of the traffic controllers, that some cars have nevertheless wanted to aim in the direction of the route with their vehicles. Nothing more than that.
The running event in question is scheduled to be held next time on May 17, 2025.