A recent article announcing the next bullfight in Lannion, caused a stir on social networks, some readers, stopping only at the title, having thought to see bullfighting fans arriving on the streets of Lannionnais. Nothing cowhide and even less flags. It is, indeed, here, an urban running race, without any mistreated animals. But by the way, where does this use of the word corrida come from to talk about a running event? (sorry for the anglicism).
An unfortunate shortcut?
Coming from Portuguese, the expression “corrida de los toros” quickly dropped “los toros”, the simple word corrida (to run) designating, in the general spirit, the (unequal) confrontation between a man in stockings and a bull
Also used in French, the word corrida was definitely found connoted with bullfighting. Hence the excitement of our readers.
An urban and festive race
The term corrida, to talk about running, seems to have been used for the first time across the Atlantic, on December 31, 1925, for the São Paulo bullfight. The expression “made in Brazil” has since traveled around the world to designate running races on roads, or even on cobblestones, usually contested in the city, over a distance of 5 to 15 km.
The term corrida also made it possible to differentiate these events from the races outside the stadium, which the federation limited in late October, so as not to telescope the winter events popular with mud fans, the crêpes. This explains why these sporting and festive events are usually held at the end of the year, like the Paimpolaise version, which will start in the Icelandic city in a few weeks. But in Langueux, as in Lannion, it will be more in June that the runners will break through the alleys. And we remember it, no bull.