Over 100 Tough Mudder racers file lawsuits after experiencing rashes caused by Aeromonas

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. ( KRON ) — It’s been a year since participants in a Tough Mudder Race in Sonoma County. They reported having rashes all over their bodies because of water on the course.

At the time, the Sonoma County Health Department said they were dealing with less than 10 patients. However, that number is now more than 100 racers filing lawsuits.

The Sonoma County Public Health Department confirmed last year that runners in the Sonoma County Tough Mudder experienced rashes caused by Aeromonas, a bacteria that lives in water and contracted through open wounds. A serious health matter that has turned into a serious legal matter.

This is what the symptoms of Aeromonas look like. An unsightly and painful rash that if untreated can progress to deeper skin infections and gastrointestinal disease. A rash that Evan Goldsmith experienced after running last year’s Tough Mudder at the Sonoma County Raceway.

“I developed a fever a really bad headache, started feeling really sick,” said Tough Mudder participant Evan Goldsmith. “By the time I got home, it was very apparent that I needed medical attention and this was obviously not bug bites.”

Goldsmith has run 46 Tough Mudders since 2016, but this last experience has done him in. He says more than 100 hundred other racers also became sick. Goldsmith is disheartened by the response of Tough Mudder management.

“An email chain with a bunch of people that got sick to the CEO, and there were some responses we were told that when we hear back from the department of public health,” Goldsmith said. “We will let you know what their findings are, and they ghosted us. We never heard anything.”

Tough Mudder sent this statement to KRON4 last year, saying all protocols were followed and that they were actively investigating to understand what happened.

Attorney Elan Zektser is representing nearly 150 Tough Mudder Participants and filed lawsuits on Tuesday against Tough Mudder and its operator Spartan Race Inc.

“This case is just a classic, profit over people,” Zekster said.

The cases filed in Sonoma County Superior Court claim that Tough Mudder knew they were putting participants in harm’s way by using cheaper water sources containing bacteria.

According to Tough Mudder’s website, no races were scheduled in Sonoma County this year. KRON4 reached out to Tough Mudder about the claims mentioned in the lawsuits filed but have not heard back.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.