euskalkultura.eus

Santa Monica, CA.  The team made up of Iñaki Castañeda and Alfredo Olabegoia is now in Santa Monica from where their pioneering adventure will begin tomorrow.  The goal is to cross the US, from coast to coast, on a hand bike without a supporting car, something that no one has achieved so far.  The trip, besides its athletic component, also has another goal: to raise money to support research of rare illnesses, as explained to EuskalKutlura.com by the two.

Elite Sportsmen

Iñaki Castañeda is an elite athlete with an enviable track record whose achievements include the first disabled Basque athlete to compete in an Ironman triathlon, the hardest triathlon there is (Kärnten, Austria, 2009).  He also holds the state record for adapted Ironman (11h, 71, 14”).  He is also a European Champion in the long distance Para-triathlon (Vitoria-Gasteiz, 2010).

[Iñaki Castañeda on his hand bike (photo ICastañeda)]

Alfredo Olabegoia, will serve as companion, reporter, interpreter, following on his hybrid bike with a cart carrying their belongings and saddlebags.  Olabegoia was the first athlete in the Spanish state to complete the Ironman in Hawaii (1988) and has completed 18 Ironman competitions during his career.

You can collaborate and encourage them

The trip will run from April 11^th to June and will cross the US from Los Angeles to New York, passing through Chicago.  The athletes will cross California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Montana, Illinois…to finally reach the city of Skyscrapers.

[Here is the route they will follow]

Both men are interested in making contact with the Basque community in the area, to get to know them and share their experience with them. Anyone wishing to contact the team, whether to meet them, encourage them, provide them lodging or even travel a portion of the route with them, can do so via email here, or on their Facebook page, where they will narrate their adventure.