Runner Erland Eldrup disqualified from Grand Trail Picos De Europa over language misunderstanding
Erland Eldrup, a full-time employee and avid runner, has been disqualified from the Grand Trail Picos De Europa in Spain, despite finishing an hour ahead of the second-place runner. Eldrup, who trains intensively and has competed in the World Mountain Ultra Championships, was accused of failing to walk a specific 1.5 km section of the course.
Eldrup claims that the walk section was not clearly marked and that there was no information provided in English. Despite reading the race manual in advance and preparing for a walking section after 32 km, Eldrup says he was filmed running past spectators in an area he believed was the required walking section. Upon finishing the race, he was informed that Spanish runner Pablo Villa had lodged a complaint about his failure to walk the designated route.
Eldrup, who had previously informed the organizers that he does not speak Spanish, argued that the race organizers should have provided clearer instructions in English. He suggested that he should have been given a time penalty rather than being disqualified, calling the decision unprofessional and arguing that it was only a small segment of the 70 km race.
Didrik Hermansen, a seasoned ultra-runner who has achieved several top-10 finishes in the World Mountain Ultra Championships, supported Eldrup. Hermansen criticized the race organizers for favoring local-language speakers and vowed never to participate in or recommend the race. He agreed that a time penalty would have been a more appropriate sanction and stated that the incident was embarrassing for Villa, who would not have won the race regardless.
When asked for comment, Eldrup maintained that he would have complied with the rules if there had been clear instructions in English. He suggested that a simple sign reading “stop, walk” would have sufficed. Attempts to contact Villa for comment have been unsuccessful.