There was a double victory for Italian teams in  Trofeo Vanoni, the classic autumn relay race (with three men’s elements and two women’s elements) organised by the GS CSI Morbegno in Morbegno (Italy): the Società Atletica Valchiese ousted France and won a long sought-after triumph among men, while Atletica Alta Valtellina won among women. 

MEN’S RACE 

There were as many as 155 trios at the start of this race, which attracted athletes from Mexico and from all over Europe.

Alberto Vender immediately set off at full speed, determined to take that first team place he has so often missed out on. At the end of the climb, Vender teamed up with Andrea Elia (La Recastello), who, as an excellent Italian vertical champion, gave his best. He was followed by Michael Galassi (US Aldo Moro Paluzza), Tiziano Moia (Gemonatletica) and Matthieu Le Fur (France). The descent saw Vender flying towards Vanoni Street (with the best time of the day of 29’52 ‘, the only one to go under 30 minutes), while behind him, with a 31’ gap, the US Paluzza changed, launching Rok Bratina. After another 15′, Team Caledonia passed the baton between Ross Gollan and Ewan Brown. Fourth at the changeover was England under 23, and fifth was La Recastello. Marco Filosi did not give up in the second stage and held the lead. Behind the Valchiese placed La Recastello with Luciano Rota. Following the second change, the British of Team Caledonia, the US Aldo Moro Paluzza, Gemonatletica Atletica, England and France, which, with an Alric Petit with the handbrake off on the downhill, broke away in the lead. In the third and final leg, Luca Merli started with a lead of over a minute, and Ennio Colò began to dream. Jean-Claude Louison relied on European bronze medallist Théodore Klein, who recovered five positions and brought France into second place at the Dosso. By now, the it was all over. The Valchiese won with a time of 1h31’04 ‘, leaving France at 1’25’, who gave up the sceptre after four consecutive victories. Fabio Ruga (La Recastello) gritted his teeth and held onto third position with a final time of 1h33’58’. Four teams from the United Kingdom followed: fourth was Team Caledonia (1h34’06 ‘), fifth England under 23 (1h34’37’), sixth England (1h35’12 ‘), and seventh Scotland (1h36’14’). The top ten was completed by US Aldo Moro Paluzza (1h37’09 ‘), Mexico (1h37’48’) and Snowdon Race Team (1h37’51”).

Best under 23 Matthew Knowles (England), best master A Great Britain with Rob Hope, Ben Mounsey and Shaun Godsman, best master B the British Karl Gray, Ian Holmes and Paul Cornforth. The regional relay title went to the Recastello Radici Group of Andrea Elia, Luciano Rota and Fabio Ruga: silver to the Recastello Radici Group’ B’ team (Francesco Bongio, Marco Zanga, Mirko Bertolini), third to the GSA Sovere (Pierluca Armati, Nicola Piffari, Alessandro Bianchi).

WOMEN’S RACE

Great numbers (55 relays at the start for 110 women), great level (with national teams from Mexico, England, Scotland, North Wales, Ireland, Poland, Slovenia and the best Italians), great spectators and super cheers for everyone.

Once again, this year, the women’s Vanoni lived up to expectations, with its relay formula making the race even more exciting and hard-fought. Last year’s winner, Elisa Sortini set off at full speed, followed by the Englishwoman Eve Pannone (Snowdon Race Team), Arianna Oregioni (GP Santi), Italian champion Luna Giovanetti (Atl. Valle di Cembra) and the Mexican Arian Yveth Chia Hernandez. Thus, they came down in order at the GPM in the Dosso locality, with Sortini having a four-second lead over Pannone.

On the descent, the Atletica Alta Valtellina athlete did not spare herself, and at the famous ‘jump’, the advantage rose to 23 seconds. Behind her Beatrice Bianchi (La Recastello), who we know to be a great downhill runner (in fact, she recorded the best downhill time of the day with 8’58 ‘, the only one to go under 9 minutes) and in fact at the change she was third, behind Elisa Sortini (second best time with 22’36’), Eve Pannone (23’02 ‘); changes in fourth position the English Alice Crene (23’13’ at her first Vanoni) of the A team and fifth Mexico, new entry of this edition. In the second leg, a wild Emmie Collinge (Atl. Valtellina) increased her lead considerably, so much so that she climbed 1’42’ ahead of Emilia Platt (England sq. A), with Mexico moving up to third place thanks to Mariel Tapia Salazar. Involved in the victory was Collinge, behind her pushed hard by Alice Gaggi (La Recastello), who grabbed second place against England, who finished third, overtaking Mexico. There was an excellent fifth place for Poland, thanks mainly to the second stage of the former professional cyclist Sylwia Kapusta. To complete the top ten: England team A, Scotland, England team C, Atletica Malignani Libertas and Atletica Valle Brembana, which, with Elisa Rebucini and Claudia Locatelli, is bronze in the Absolute Regional Championships behind Alta Valtellina and Recastello.

The final times of Collinge and Sortini, respectively the best time of the day with 22’12 ‘and the second best time with 22’36’, are one second off the Gaggi/Belotti record (44’48”). They therefore promised to return next year to lower it. Bianchi and Gaggi also promised that they would do everything to win next year.

It was a great result for Mexico, happy to have come to Morbegno and impressed by the warm welcome, and great results for England, which placed its three relays in the top ten.

Photo credits: Davide Vaninetti, Angelo Elio Testa, Roberto Ganassa, Fabio Vedovatti

A press conference in Morbegno Town Hall on October 16^th kicked off the 67th Trofeo Vanoni in style and it was attended by numerous authorities representing the organisations that have supported the Trofeo Vanoni for many years. An inspiring film (by SpeedTimeProduction) was shown, with athletes including Julien Rancon, Alex Baldaccini, Alice Gaggi, Elisa Sortini and Paolo Germanetto talking about what Vanoni means to them.

 And what does Vanoni mean to the runners, the supporters and the local people? It’s not just a sporting event, but a gem that Morbegno and the entire Province of Sondrio are proud of, encouraging tourism and local networking, and crucially putting young people at the forefront of it. All of these characteristics have made TrofeoVanoni the longest-running sports event in Valtellina and Valchiavenna.

THE FAVOURITE TEAMS

 Many overseas athletes will be at the start this year: from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Slovenia, Mexico, the Republic of San Marino and Poland, as well as many Italians. The total number of athletes competing in the three competitions (Minivanoni, Women’s Vanoni and Trofeo Vanoni) will be around 1000.

Some big news this year, of which the GS CSI Morbegno organisers are particularly proud, is the presence of the Mexican national team and that of England with no less than three female and two male relays. Especially across the Channel, the Trofeo Vanoni is known and appreciated as an event that is not to be missed.

Francesco Bongio said of the favourite men’s teams: “To present the favourite teams, we start from last year’s ranking. France will be there, with a trio of high-level athletes (European bronze medallist Thèodore Klein, young Alric Petit, previous year’s winner, and 2022 European champion Sylvain Cachard), the Great Britain team (second in 2023), led again this year by Ross Gollan together with Ewan Brown and Finlay Grant, and SA Valchiese, with the trio of wonders Vender, Filosi, and Merli, who came close to achieving the feat two years ago and will try again this year. Eyes are also on the Italian championships of the Recastello Radici Group; with Isacco Costa absent, president Luciano Merla has lined up the tricolour vertical Andrea Elia, the expert Fabio Ruga, and the Italian Luciano Rota in the first team. Also competitive was the Snowdon Race Team (fourth in 2023), which fielded Grant Cunliffe (3rd at the Snowdon Race) with Matthew Elkington and Kieran Cooper. For the first time, the England national team, with two relays including one under-23, Matthew Knowles (in his third Vanoni), will relieve George Foster and Finn Lydon. The US Aldo Moro di Paluzza team(fifth in 2024), with the strong Galassi and Bratina, will participate in the race. Not missing the appointment with the Trofeo Vanoni will be record-breakers Alex Baldaccini with GS Orobie and Emanuele Manzi with US Malonno. Also at the start, with an English masters team, the downhill record holder Ian Holmes (at his 20th Trofeo Vanoni). Also from the top ten were the national teams of Scotland, Wales and Poland, as well as Gemonatletica with Tiziano Moia and GSA Cometa with strong uphill runner Alessandro Crippa.”

Councillor Annalisa Perlini outlined the favourite women’s teams: “the Recastello Radici Group (second last year) will certainly start with the favour of prediction, with Beatrice Bianchi, the relay mountain running champion and home favourite Alice Gaggi. Last year’s winner, Atletica Alta Valtellina, has yet to decide who will flank Italy’s Elisa Sortini. Ireland, third in 2023, with record holder Sarah McCormack absent this year, relies on Aoife Cleary and Dee Collins. Scotland (4th in 2023) is again fielding Catriona MacDonald with Isla Paterson, Slovenia (5th in 2023) has entered Maja Laznik and Klara Ljubi, and the Snowdon Race Team (6th last year) could do well with strong Eve Pannone (2nd at the Snowdon Race) and Antonia Fan. England – accompanied by Sara Tunstall, European silver and bronze medallist at the 2017 World Championships in Premana – will field no less than three relays, with national under-23 champion Alice Crane and national under-20 XC champion Emilia Platt. Poland and Wales are definitely in the top ten. At the same time, Mexico, for the first time at the Trofeo Vanoni, with national champion Mariel Salazar Tapia (11th at the World Championships in Thailand in 2022 in the junior category) and Arian Yveth Chia Hernandez, is to be discovered.”

A mention must also be made of the Minivanoni, which is important to the GS CSI Morbegno, mainly because young people are the future of athletics. President Giovanni Ruffoni explained that in the final round of the Coppa Lombardia mountain running competition, 450 mini-athletes are expected. Atletica Valle Brembana will undoubtedly be in force, and Premana, currently in first and second place in the circuit, Polisportiva Albosaggia, as well as GS CSI Morbegno. “We’ll be calling 60 “red devils”. I don’t know if we’ll be able to grab the podium in the Lombardy Cup, but we’ll do everything we can to win the Minivanoni. Should Polisportiva Albosaggia win, it would win the Targa Mons. Danieli – Battaglion Morbegno offered by the Alpini”.

We will bring you all the action from the races on 27^th October in Morbegno. Find more information here: www.trofeovanoni.it

Photos by Davide Vaninetti/PhotoRunValtellina