On an overcast June 6, James Chapman was competing in a Spartan Race at Toro County Park, an 8-mile dash full of mud, water and obstacles. Three miles into the race, the 25-year-old from Reno, Nevada came to the top of a 10-foot hill at the base of which stood a muddy pool of water.
Amped by the cheering spectators and the rush of adrenaline brought on by competition, Chapman dove head first into what was not much more than a large muddy puddle. His head struck the bottom, breaking two vertebrae and leaving him permanently paralyzed from the neck down.
To enter a Spartan Race, all participants must sign a waiver releasing liability from Spartan Race and its sponsors. The first clause of the waiver is: “The risk of serious injury and/or death from the activities involved… is significant.”
“These injuries happen quite often at these events and there is a responsibility for event coordinators to safeguard people from harm,” says Mohammad “Mike” Kazerouni, Chapman’s attorney. “I don’t think people are signing up for these races to get killed or injured.”
Kazerouni filed a lawsuit on Feb. 1 against Spartan Race; its sponsors, Reebok and NBC Universal; and Monterey County for the injuries Chapman sustained. Complaints include gross negligence, negligent hiring and dangerous condition of public property.
The suit, filed in Monterey County Superior Court, claims there was nothing identifying the hazards presented by many of the obstacles, specifically signs warning contestants not to dive into the shallow pool.
“Spartan Races are for the general masses, for weekend warriors. The race should take greater caution,” says Charles “Tony” Piccuta, who participated in the Spartan Race at Toro Park the day Chapman was injured. Piccuta is a personal injury lawyer based in Monterey, but did not comment on the specifics of the case. “There’s no instruction on how to tackle obstacles. I can see why someone approaching a body of water would think they could just dive into it.”
The negligent hiring claim refers to two staff members stationed 10 to 20 feet from the muddy pool Chapman dove into. The suit claims they did not take notice of his injury until a spectator pointed out there was something wrong.
A spokesperson for Spartan Race refused to comment on the Chapman case or, more generally, the dangers presented in their races.
The accident happened a year after Chapman graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a degree in chemical engineering. A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for his medical costs says Chapman was a CrossFit enthusiast and a star high school athlete who set a school record in pole vault and twice won the state championship for wrestling.
For someone with such an active background who traveled to Monterey with friends to take part in an event he’s participated in before, Kazerouni says, the results are devastating.
“He’s struggling, but he just finished an eight-week rehab,” Kazerouni says. “He’s still trying to adjust to his new circumstances.”