Author: Tomo Sarf

New Course Record in a Thrilling Trofeo Vanoni

Written by Tomo Sarf on 26/10/2020. Posted in Latest News.

It was a hugely exciting Trofeo Vanoni at the weekend, which saw a new women’s course record in this year’s relay version and a thrilling men’s race. It also took place safely, despite all the challenges and thanks to the understanding of all the runners.

So much attention was paid to safety and anti-covid regulations that, as the organisers said, ‘you might not have expected that so much would come out of this edition: show, competition, desire to be there, desire to run. An exciting race, perhaps right up to the last, with the new generation of mountain running starting to take off.’ It definitely delivered.

The women’s race

The Vanoni ladies race took place in a relay version for the assignment of the Italian mountain running titles. 63 couples started, despite some last-minute cancellations, including Ghelfi sisters.

The mayor of Morbegno, Alberto Gavazzi, cut the ribbon and immediately the Irish runner Sarah McCormack and the Valtellina-born Elisa Sortini made a break from the pack. The pace was furious and on the descent Sarah McCormack pulled away, creating a clear gap from Sortini at the “jump”. Behind them there was an even bigger gap of a minute and a half to the Frenchwoman Jade Rodriguez and the Slovenian Mojca Koligar. At the end of the first leg, the scoreboard read “21 minutes and 7 seconds” – a new record, beating Emmie Collinge by 6 seconds (last year Lucy Murigi finished in 21’16”). A female record that has always been held by non-Italians (first Carol Haigh with 21’28”, then Anna Pichrtova with 21’41” equalled by Pavla Schorna, then Emmie Collinge with 21’13”).

In the second part of the relay things changed, with Ireland slipping back despite Dena Hogan’s best efforts. Valentina Belotti, who runs with her heart, started at full throttle, maybe a little too much she confessed afterwards, but the desire to win another tricolour title was so strong. Behind it goes back to France, which has lined up world vice-champion Elise Poncet in the second leg, Slovenia holds and a super Elisa Desco once again shows her class.

At the finish line, it is double Italian title (absolute and master A) for Atletica Alta Valtellina with Elisa and Valentina, but the girls of Adriano Greco grab a great third place overall with Desco who sprints in the last meters (in the first stage good partner Giulia Compagnoni). In the middle of the Alta Valtellina teams was France. To close the top five Slovenia and GS Orecchiella Garfagnana. Junior title, as predicted, at Atletica Lecco Colombo Costruzioni with the world champion Elisa Pastorelli and Camilla Valsecchi. Italian title also for the B masters of Atletica Paratico (Nives Curti and Giovanna Cavalli) and the C masters of GS Valgerola (Anna Maria Taeggi and Bianca Maria Martina).

Best 3 female times:
Sarah McCormack (Ireland) 21’07”.
Elisa Sortini (Atletica Alta Valtellina) 21’45”
Mojca Koligar (Slovenia) 23 min. 24 sec.

THE MEN’S RACE

FIRST LEG
Timotej Becan (Slovenia), Alberto Vender (SA Valchiese), Julien Rancon (France), Bapiste Fourmont (France B) and Matteo Rosa (Atl. Rodengo Saiano), climbing down to the GPM in Arzo at the top of the race, but on the downhill, the Slovenian and Vender took off and presented themselves at the gearbox in via Vanoni, 4 seconds off (they will record the first and third time of the day), followed by their cousins from beyond the Alps: le roi Julien always a certainty and the surprise Fourmont that will be the fastest downhill.

SECOND LEG
Valchiese jumps to the lead with Luca Merli before the bump, but Slovenia doesn’t give in and takes the lead with Jost Lapain; Sebastien Fine doesn’t give up and at the end of the climb he puts everyone in line. At the gearbox, they come shoulder to shoulder: France and Valchiese, with a great Zak Hanna (Great Britain) and Xavier Chevrier who keep their teams in it.

THIRD LEG
Alexandre Fine takes off, at the “Dosso” he has a 50″ lead over Marco Filosi, at a distance followed by Nicola Spada (Atletica Valli Bergamasche) and Francesco Puppi (Atl. Valle Brembana) who pushes on the accelerator. At the GPM in Arzo Fine he understands that it’s done, but behind him, it’s a brawl with Puppi who jumps to second place and already sees the tricolour approaching, while Filosi (Valchiese) goes down in the fourth position behind Spada. Halfway down, in Bellini, the advantage of the Frenchman is more than a minute, after the best time uphill Puppi holds the second position overall and Filosi regains the third place against Atletica Valli Bergamasche.

In via Vanoni this year there is no red carpet, but the audience – spaced out and with a mask – was as always warm and involved. For France it is a triumph: victory in 1h30’42” and Trophy won definitively, Atletica Valle Brembana taking home the Italian title overall (1h32’12”) and the SA Valchiese (1h32’18”) which achieved the goal it so dreamed of, the podium at the Vanoni Trophy (1h32’18”) and a silver medal at the Italian championship. Completing the top five were the Bergamo Valleys Athletics (Masters, Chevrier, Sword) – tricolour bronze – and Great Britain (Andrew Douglas, Zak Hanna, Ben Mounsey).

Find more information at http://www.trofeovanoni.it/

Photos by Davide Vaninetti, Roberto Ganassa, Meneghello

Get Ready For Trofeo Vanoni

Written by Tomo Sarf on 23/10/2020. Posted in Latest News.

Are you ready for Trofeo Vanoni, edition number 63? The predictions for the Italian Mountain Relay Running Championship (Absolute, Junior and Master) which will be run in Morbegno (SO) on Sunday 25th October are starting to be made. The last time the Vanoni Trophy was tricolour was in 2017. In this troubled season the Italian Athletics Federation, which has done everything possible to put together a piece of the calendar, has once again asked GS CSI Morbegno to host the Italian Championship.

WOMEN’S RACE – all eyes will be on the duo from Atletica Alta Valtellina that has collected podium places in the various tricolour trials (individual, vertical, long-distance), Valentina Belotti and Elisa Sortini. Not that the second team of the Alta Valtellina club with Giulia Compagnoni and Elisa Desco should be underestimated. Other possible podium contenders include sisters Erica and Francesca Ghelfi for Atletica Valle Varaita and Italian vice-champion Alessia Scaini competing with Arianna Dentis for Atletica Saluzzo, as well as La Recastello Radici Group with two beautiful relay teams: Alice Gaggi with Ilaria Bianchi and Samantha Galassi with Astrid Luciano. Possible outsiders are Atletica Lecco Colombo Costruzioni with Maria Righetti paired with Ilaria Dal Magro, US Aldo Moro Paluzza (Maria Dimitra Theocharis and Caterina Bellin) and G.S. Orecchiella Garfagnana (Primitive Niyirora and Annalaura Mugno). If all this wasn’t enough, France dropped a fine pair of aces: the vice-world champion (already third last year at the Trofeo Vanoni) Elise Poncet threw herself into the fray with the junior Jade Rodriguez, while Ireland responded with super Sarah McCormack (winner of the KV in Chiavenna and Nasego Trophy) and Dena Hogan. Slovenia also bring two relay duos: Mojca Koligar with Nusa Mali, Vareneja Drasler with Spela Gonza.

MEN’S RACE – It will certainly be a challenge for the rematch between Atletica Valle Brembana, which will repeat the trio that won last year (Francesco Puppi, Nadir Cavagna and the record man Alex Baldaccini) and Atletica Valli Bergamasche Leffe with the Italian champion Cesare Maestri, Xavier Chevrier and Luca Cagnati. Also watch out for La Recastello Radici Group, which is lined up with Gabriele Bacchion and the Italo and Roberto Cassol twins (last year fourth with the Tornado vest) and SA Valchiese, which has long since declared that it aims for the podium with Alberto Vender, Luca Merli and Marco Filosi. Not to be underestimated is also the “B” quartet of Atletica Valle Brembana with Pietro Sonzogni and the brothers Nicola and Matteo Bonzi, the US Malonno with the brothers Luca and Marco Malgarida and the veteran Emanuele Manzi and the Atletica Rodengo Saiano Mico with two track racing specialists such as Iacopo Brasi and Matteo Rosa and the top ten Under 20 in charge Marco Zoldan. The organisers of the GS CSI Morbegno with captain Marco Leoni and the trusty Stefano Sansi and Alessandro Gusmeroli are also hoping to enter the top ten. Participation is varied, with the presence of no less than 80 sports clubs as well as foreign representatives.

In contention, not for the Italian Championship, but a place on the podium, there is certainly the French team with the expert Julien Rancon, the young Alexandre Fine and the summer’s star Sylvain Cachard (this year winner of the Nasego and Smarna Gora Trophy). Should the transalpine team win, they would take home the Trophy offered by Morbegno Council. We should also keep an eye on the British and Northern Irish team with Zak Hanna (in great dusting at the Vertical Kilometre), Andrew Douglas (fourth at Nasego) and Ben Mounsey. The Slovenian team (Becan, Lapajne, Bregar), Irish team (Hogan, Hunter and Conroy) and the Republic of San Marino are also ones to watch.

UNDER 20 RACE- At the Under 20 men’s level, Atletica Valle Brembana with the Italian champion Alain Cavagna (recent tricolour also on the track in the 5000 metres) with the Pietro Gherardi (sixth at the individual Italian Championships). On a women’s level, the Junior World Champion Elisa Pastorelli (Atletica Lecco Colombo Costruzioni) will be competing with her teammate Camilla Valsecchi Ratto: another Azzurrina competing in Casto (Brescia) in the only international match of the season, Irene Aschieris, will race with Atletica Susa Adriano Aschieris paired with Caterina Traversa.

JUNIOR RACE – Good participation also for the competition reserved to the youth. There will be 300 at the start divided into 8 categories (from 10 to 17 years old), representing 41 sports clubs that will do their best to win Monsignor Danieli – Battaglion Morbegno plaque. The hosts of the GS CSI Morbegno have won the last two editions and have the declared objective of making a hat-trick and taking home the trophy put up for grabs by ANA Morbegno.

More info: www.trofeovanoni.it, Facebook and Instagram.

A Starry Night On Wansfell

Written by Tomo Sarf on 18/10/2020. Posted in Latest News.

The organisers of this year’s WMRA International Under 18 Mountain Running Cup were hugely disappointed when they had to postpone the event to 2021. But, in this year which has had a lot of disappointment and uncertainty when it comes to races, there was still something exciting to look forward to – the Wansfell uphill-only race. 2.5k with 400m of ascent.

This race was initially going to be part of a whole weekend of running events to mark the U18 Cup. While the rest had to be postponed, the organisers realised that the uphill-only event, as a short time trial, could still take place in a safe manner. And it could provide both a perfect test event, as well as a fundraising opportunity for next year.

The organisers put a huge number of measures in place to ensure the runners’ safety and limit the risk of COVID infection. From registration, where masks and social distancing were strictly enforced, to the use of a barcode system on numbers, which could be scanned without contact, to the holding area which ensured runners stayed apart and set off at their allocated times, which were all 30 seconds apart, they thought of everything. The runners were supportive of their efforts.

The reward for all the hard work from the organisers was a fantastic night of racing, with some very fast times laid down ready to be contested next year, and an incredible sunset followed by a clear, starry night. The fastest time of the night was set by last year’s European Mountain Running Champion, Jacob Adkin, who reached the summit finish in 13.53. The fastest woman was Scout Adkin (yes, they’re related) in 15.50, and she was also 10th overall. Second placed woman was Jess Bailey in 17.54 and Nichola Jackson was third in 17.58. Chris Richards finished second in the men’s competition in 14.47, with Rob Jebb just behind him in 14.51.

Many runners commented how great it was to be back racing and seeing friends they’d missed seeing this year. The sunset and starry night made some runners quite emotional about being back doing what they loved and there was a tremendous atmosphere, from the fastest runners right through to those just enjoying a Friday night socialising. Local club Ambleside AC provided marshals and lit up the fell with powerful lights, and to cap it all it was such a clear night that Mars and even the space station were spotted!

It was a hugely successful night. The organisers raised funds for next year’s event, runners were happy and most of all the processes put in place to keep runners safe worked well, which bodes well for similar competitions and for next year’s WMRA International U18 Mountain Running Cup.

See full results

All photos credit James Kirby except for Jacob Adkin which is credit Steve Ashworth

Road To Vanoni: 10 Days To Go

Written by Tomo Sarf on 16/10/2020. Posted in Latest News.

It’s just 10 days to go to this year’s Trofeo Vanoni and, as per tradition, a press conference was held to present the Vanoni Trophy at the Council Hall of the Municipality of Morbegno (SO), Italy.

NEWS 2020
The GS CSI Morbegno’s Chairman Giovanni Ruffoni listed this year’s main innovations: “Let’s start with the programme: this year there will be no runners parade and a restricted ceremony for the deposition of the Laurel Crown at the Monument of the War Fallen, followed by Mass in the Church of St. John the Baptist. On Sunday the departure of the 43rd Minivanoni is brought forward to 8.30 a.m. and that of the 37th Women’s Vanoni, which this year will be a relay race because of the Italian championship, at 10.30 a.m.”.

COVID
The last DPCM did not modify the Covid protocols already agreed with the Italian Athletics Federation. “With technical delegate Simone Fuso, we examined everything that needs to be done to make athletes, spectators and organisers safe,” explained Vice-President Marco Leoni, “starting from the grid at a distance with a mask for the first 500 metres to be kept with the runner throughout the course and to be worn if the interpersonal distance is not guaranteed. Along the route, in the points where spectators are usually numerous, and in the start/arrival area, corridors will be created to distance the athletes from the people present on the race track and the control staff will ensure that the public wear masks. The prize-giving ceremonies will take place outdoors, in Piazza S. Antonio, first the women at 5.00 pm, then the men at 5.40 pm, with a very streamlined ceremony. Also at the Minivanoni (junior race), there will be quick awards ceremonies at the end of each race to avoid the crowds. Needless to say, the change between runners cannot be made by hand. There will then be a large area reserved for athletes adjacent to the changing area for the tick before the start and while waiting for their turn. There will be no locker rooms and final refreshments.

TOP RUNNERS
Vanoni Trophy will be both an international level race and an Italian relay mountain running championship for the absolute and master categories. On an Italian level, the women’s favourites are certainly Atletica Alta Valtellina with Elisa Sortini who is spoilt for choice for her partner, La Recatello Radici Group with Alice Gaggi and Samatha Galassi, Atletica Valle Varaita of the Ghelfi sisters and Atletica Saluzzo led by Alessia Scaini. Strong outsiders are the French Jade Rodriguez (junior national team) and Elise Poncet (second at world championships 2019 and third last year at Vanoni). For the men, the challenge of last year between Atletica Valle Brembana and Atletica Valli Bergamasche from Bergamo will certainly be repeated, boasting the best Italian athletes, but with attention to France with Julien Rancon, Alexandre Fine and Sylvain Cachard, with the latter recently winning Smarna Gora and Trofeo Nasego. Already third in 2019, if they won, the transalpines would definitely take home the Trophy dedicated to Minister Ezio Vanoni. Also looking for a place near the podium will be the Atletica Valchiese with Vender, Filosi and Merli, La Recastello Radici Group of the Cassol twins, as well as the British/Irish Team composed of Zak Hanna, Andrew Douglas and Ross Gollan who already in the past have created a storm on the trail of the Trofeo Vanoni relay race. Also expected are the representatives from the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia and the Republic of San Marino.

What numbers do the organisers expect? Chairman Giovanni Ruffoni is optimistic and fearlessly aims at 150 male and 50 female relay teams.

More info:
www.trofeovanoni.it
Trofeo Vanoni Facebook
Trofeo Vanoni Instagram

CreditPhoto: Davide Vaninetti/FRV

McCormack and Aymonod Victorious at Chiavenna Lagunc

Written by Tomo Sarf on 12/10/2020. Posted in Latest News.

Chiavenna Lagunc is the most famous vertical uphill race in Italy and all over Europe. A true mountain running atmosphere requiring technical skills, due to the tricky, natural path (use of poles is banned).

Chiavenna has a lovely centre, with lots of history and huge cultural history. From the small church of Loreto (at 320 meters) the runners climb up for 3,5 Km and 1000 meters to Lagunc (1320 meters) running on an historical track used in the past by the inhabitants of Lagunc to reach the town for school, doctors and to go to work.

The race path has been certified by an architect and patented by the Italian Athletics Federation to become the 1st certified vertical kilometer.

Legends are a born here : Bernard Dematteis ran up in 30’27” in 2013, still standing as the best world performance on a vk without poles. Andrea Mayr set the women record two years ago at 35’40”.

The 2020 edition was selected to host the grand final of the WMRA mountain runnning World Cup, which was then unfortunatlely cancelled due to the pandemic.

But the organizers kept the faith and the race was held as scheduled yesterday to celebrate the VK Italian Championship and host some top international runners for a spectacular field.

In the women’s race a thrilling ending brought cheers for the victory of Irish athlete Sarah McCormack (above) with final time of 39’03”, 35 hundreths of a second faster than Italian Legend Valentina Belotti, who gained another crown as Italian Champion. Third place overall for went to Elisa Sortini and fourth for Ilaria Bianchi, a former national star in uphill competitions who was able to recover the old form and get on the national podium.

In the men’s field an hard struggle involved the vest Italian rising star of vertical uphill running, trying to defeat the invincible Henri Aymonod, the master and commander of uphill at this moment in Italy, unbeaten since August 2019 in a vertical uphill race.

Aymo managed to win again in 32’31”, but the opponents trailed by just a few seconds with the newcomer Tiziano Moia in 2nd place with a very close 32’33” , third place went to Switzerland’s Roberto De Lorenzi in 32’36”

Over 330 athletes took part in the event, with demanding protocols applied by organizers to guarantee the safety and social distancing.

This Mountain Running Italian Classic showed again to be stronger than everything.

Next stop the monument: Trofeo Vanoni Relay Morbegno.

Results women

Results men

Here is a photo gallery (Credit Marco Gulberti) : https://www.flickr.com/gp/mountainrunning/6L4800

Šmarna gora Race 2020 – AND THE WINNERS ARE…

Written by Tomo Sarf on 11/10/2020. Posted in Latest News.

Sylvain CACHARD and Mojca KOLIGAR!!!

Despite the COVID restrictions, strong international fields gathered on the start line of the 41st Smarna gora race.

In the men’s race, Filimon Abraham, the winner of Friday’s Smarna gora Record, was aware of his weak point: the technical downhill in the middle part of the course. So he started very fast: 2,55 for the first kilometer, the only really flat part of the race. On the mostly technical climb to Grmada summit he tried to get rid of Sylvain, but they were still together on the top, 25 sec before Maestri. The downhill belonged to the French and he reached the bottom of the technical and partly slippery descent with 20 seconds advantage. On the other hand, Maestri almost caught Abraham. The last third of the course, a more runnable section, was just the final test of endurance and mentality – who will withstand the attacks of his followers? Nothing dramatic happened in this part. So in his first attempt Sylvain Cachard won the Smarna gora race! His time is the fifth fastest time of this course; only Baldaccini (ITA), Teklay, Tekle and Mamu (all ERI) were fastest. The best Slovenian was Timotej Be?an on the fifth place. The 2 times winner of the Smarna gora junior’s race Costa was 6th.

Mojca Koligar from Slovenia won the women’s race with a decent time of 52:22. Mali Nuša, who is still a junior, was second and Katja Podobnik completed top 3. The only foreigner, Dominika Stelmach, just missed the podium.

70 juniors from 9 to 15 years of age competed on two shorter courses. For the first time, juniors U20 and Masters 50+ run the 5km course – actually the 10km course without the first summit.

Sylvain Cachard and Mojca Koligar were the winners of the first “Smarna gora combination” – a combination of Friday’s Record and Saturday’s Race.

The organizing team did its best to make the race safe and to respect all the Covid restrictions. Masks were mandatory all the time before the start and after the race and also during the award ceremony. All the people present were advised to respect social distancing. There were no problems – people were aware of the sensitive situation.

The weather was really helpful. It was more or less rainy in the first part of the week before the race and ideally sunny from Wednesday to Saturday – and again heavy rain on the day after the race even with tracks of snow on the summit!

In that difficult and unpredictable situation, when even 3 days before the race they were taking decision whether to cancel the event or not because of the aggravation of the Covid restrictions, the organizers of the Smarna gora race once again confirmed the title “the Greatest”

RESULTS and Photos

Videos

Photos credit Prijavim.se

New Smarna gora Record record!

Written by Tomo Sarf on 10/10/2020. Posted in Latest News.

On Friday afternoon, the first leg of the ‘Smarna gora running weekend’ was held on the slopes of ‘the most visited mountain in Slovenia’. It was the so called ‘Smarna gora RECORD’ where the runners take the shortest way from the foothill to the summit. 1,85km, 360m to climb. Short, but steep and tough.

The men’s course record was 11:08, set in 2017 by Petro Mamu and everybody was anxious – is it possible to compete the course faster than 11 minutes? Now we know the answer: YES, it is!

Some really strong international class runners collected on the start line. Sunny 18°C the weather conditions were ideal for the runners, the course was dry, so all the mountain running experts expected a direct attack on the record time. Later winner, Abraham Filimon, was in the lead more or less the whole time, he had a short crisis at the ¾ of the race, but recovered just after a short flat-ish section. Smarna gora is not new for him – he ran the Smarna gora race in 2017-18-19, placing every time in top five, in 2019 even in the second position. His 10:59 is a historical result. Second place for French runner Sylvian Cachard – his first time at Smarna gora, but he arrived the day before to test the course and this helped him. With 11:02 he set the second fastest time on the course. Local runner with international experience, Timotej BE?AN, improved his Slovenian course record by one second to 11:12.

The women’s race was not quite as exiting. Mojca Koligar was the clear favorite and she did not disappoint her fans. She was attacking the women’s record that is still in the hands of Mateja Kosovelj (13:08 from 2006), but she did not get closer than 14:28. Drašler Varineja finished second and Polish Dominika Stelmach completed the podium.

The race was held under special circumstances – strictly respecting the Corona regulations. All the segments of the evet, like entries, start procedure, finish arrangement and award ceremony were organized according to the recommendations of the national health institute.

Today, the runners will attack the 10km long ’41st Šmarna gora race’, voted WMRA greatest race all time.

Smarna Gora Ready To Host Race For 41st Time!

Written by Tomo Sarf on 09/10/2020. Posted in Latest News.

After days and weeks of the uncertain situation when it was not clear if the Smarna gora Race would get the final go-ahead, now, just one day before the BIG DAY, we can say YES! We have lift off!

So tomorrow we can expect another battle on the slopes of Smarna gora.

Despite the current difficult situation, some top international runners will take part, like Dominika Stelmach from Poland, Sylvian Cachard and Alexandre Fine from France, Filimon Abraham from Germany and Cesare Maestri and Isaco Costa from Italy.

On the other hand, Slovenian top runners are not missing the opportunity to participate in the National Mountain Running Championships and also the only top mountain running event in Slovenia this season. Timotej Becan will have hard job repeating his 3th place fromm last year and our evergreen Miran Cvet will for sure do his best to split the international field. Mojca Koligar will surely fight with Dominika for the top position…

The organizers will do their best to confirm the “WMRA Greatest race all time” title!

Find out more about this year’s Smarna gora race HERE

Trofeo Nasego Stage International U20 Mountain Running Match

Written by Tomo Sarf on 06/10/2020. Posted in Latest News.

In a season where most athletes’ race plans were obliterated, one group of athletes who were very affected were the under 20 mountain runners for whom it was their last year in that age group. The federal leaders of mountain running really wanted to give some more meaning to the season which saw the cancellation of the entire international youth program with Europeans, Youth Cups and World Cups postponed to 2021. Trofeo Nasego agreed to stage the International U20 Mountain Running Match.

Teams from Italy, Slovenia and the Czech Republic took part in Casto, in the province of Brescia on Sunday 4th October in the event organised jointly by Federazione Italiana di Atletica Leggera, Atletica Valli Bergamasche Leffe and Trofeo Nasego LOC. Two male and two female juniors made up each team and the course was 6.67km with +387m of ascent.

MEN – Alain Cavagna of Italy took an early lead and kept it along the whole – mainly uphill – course. Alain already proved himself to be a very adaptable athlete, excelling in mountain running (U20 silver medalist in Zermatt EMRC 2019 after winning the U18 International Cup on home soil in Gagliano del Capo 2018), on the track or in cross country events (he wore the national team blue jersey several times).

It was an Italian clean sweep on the podium: Zoldan led the chasing group for most of the race but had to surrender to fellow teammates Crippa and Rossi in the final stages. It was a fair fight with Slovenian and Czech competitors for almost half an hour on Savalle’s trails. See full results for the men’s race here.

WOMEN – Adela Kolackova did a copy and paste of Cavagna’s strategy from the very beginning: she led the whole way. pushing the pace, though facing a fierce competitor (and a close one in the end) in the Slovenian Nusa Mali. They raced for the victory, with no others able to catch them as the podium was completed by a strong (but distant enough) Sona Kourilova, who managed to keep Italy’s Elisa Pastorelli and Slovenia’s Spela Gonza outside the medal spots. See full results for the women’s race here.

TEAM: It was Italy A and Czech Republic dominating the team classification on the men’s and women’s side respectively. Both national anthems filled the mountain valley with joy and enthusiasm.

Read the news story on the Italian federation’s website here: http://www.fidal.it/content/Montagna-agli-azzurrini-il-match-internazionale/129372

Photos credit Damiano Benedetto and Marco Gulberti

McCormack and Cachard Triumph at Trofeo Nasego

Written by Tomo Sarf on 04/10/2020. Posted in Latest News.

Both the women’s and men’s fields at Trofeo Nasego promised a day of exciting racing, and they didn’t disappoint. Today’s event confirmed it as a key event on the international mountain running calendar, and a big goal for athletes in a year without a World Championships.

Sylvain Cachard was one of the athletes who focused his training on this competition and it paid off handsomely as he won with new course record.

“Knowing the course helped me a lot today and on the long uphill I was sure about myself, pushing hard and seeing Puppi tiring. In the last downhill, I ran faster than I ever have in my life. I’m so happy to have won here in Casto where they love mountain running so much.”

A long battle with Francesco Puppi made the men’s race so exciting and emotional. On the finish line Cachard took the Trofeo Nasego victory in 1h34.11, a new course record beating the previous one by around a minute. Puppi finished in second place in 1h35.16, also going under the former record. He won also the Italian title for long distance mountain running.

Another Italian star Xavier Chevrier, who was just back to racing after injury, got a great third place in 1h37.28. Andrew Douglas (GBR) finished fourth in 1h37.36 and Julien Rancon (FRA) fifth in 1h38.01.

Ireland’s Sarah McCormack came into the race as favourite and once again demonstrated her talent in the Nasego hills, winning Trofeo Nasego’s women’s race in a great solo effort.

She made her big move in the middle of the race and, neither former World Champion Lucy Murigi, nor any of the other women could keep up with her. McCormack, who runs for Ireland, arrived at the finish line alone and happy in 1h52.32, one of the fastest ever times in Trofeo Nasego. “I’m absolutely delighted to have won here in Casto against such a great field. I’m happy with all the people cheering me along the course. I gave my best in the last downhill and so proud of my race.”

The new Italian long distance champion was Francesca Ghelfi, who finished second in 1h53.36 and the podium was completed by Elisa Sortini in 1h54.34. Young Italian rising star Alessia Scaini was fourth in 1h55.33 and Primitive Niyirora (Rwa) completed the top 5 in 1h56.4.

Trofeo Nasego was also the host for the first edition of an international under 20 match between Italy, Slovenia and Czech Republic. In the men’s race Alain Cavagna (Ita) won. Adela Kolackova (Cze) was the winner on women’s side.

See the results for the women’s race and the men’s race

See the results for the U20 women and the under 20 men

All photos credit Damiano Benedetto and Marco Gulberti

WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION

Author: Tomo Sarf

The women’s race

THE MEN’S RACE