Clean start to Pamplona's running of the bulls (AP)

PAMPLONA, Spain ? Thousands of thrill-seekers dashed ahead of six fighting bulls in the streets of the northern Spanish city of Pamplona on Thursday in a fast first running of the bulls in this year's San Fermin festival.

No one was gored, but one person was hospitalized after falling in the sprint, said Spanish Red Cross spokesman Jose Aldaba. In all, four people needed treatment by medical staff.

The bulls, from the Torrestrella farm, accompanied by six guiding steers charged down the 849-meter (928-yard) course from a pen to the city's bull ring in 2 minutes, 30 seconds.

Runners, wearing traditional white clothing and red kerchiefs around their necks, tripped over each other or fell in the mad rush but avoided getting caught out by the charging bulls.

There were some unexpected moments as one of the steers separated from the pack and charged back toward the starting gate, sending runners scattering after having believed their dash was finished. Another steer stopped and laid down on the pavement near the end before eventually being guided into bullring, where the six bulls will take part in the afternoon's bullfight.

"The truth is there were very few people for the first running, so it was quite comfortable," said 20-year-old Julen Iruzun, who was taking part in his third "encierro," the Spanish term for the run.

"That must be one odd steer" Iruzun said about the wandering one, "but these things happen."

The runs take place each morning at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) and are televised nationally.

People come from all over the world to test their bravery and enjoy the festival's nonstop street parties which lasts until July 14.

The festival was immortalized by author Ernest Hemingway in his 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises."

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Ciaran Giles contributed to this report from Madrid.

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Online:

http://www.sanfermin.org

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Paul Logothetis can be reached at: http://twitter.com/PaulLogoAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110707/ap_on_re_eu/eu_spain_running_of_the_bulls

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