169 Swimmers Helped From Water In LA Triathlon

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities say 169 triathlon swimmers required help getting out of the ocean at Venice Beach during the first leg of the annual Los Angeles Triathlon.

Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey says seven of those athletes were treated Sunday at a medical tent and three of those required transport to hospitals.

Among those hospitalized was a female lifeguard who suffered a back injury during a water rescue.

None of the injuries are considered life-threatening.

Humphrey says it's unclear why so many swimmers needed assistance.

Race organizers told City News Service that ocean conditions were "just about perfect" and suggested Fire Department numbers were exaggerated.

Nearly 3,000 triathletes started the race at 7:15 a.m. with a 9.3-mile swim followed by a 24-mile bike race and a 10-kilometer run.

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