17/06/2023
Two epic races on Little Tibet trails, from flowering meadows to rocky ridges, from downtown to snow: a dream setting for Marco De Gasperi's creature
Who knows if when he imagined and planned them, Marco De Gasperi, multiple World Mountain Running Champion and the mastermind behind the Brooks Livigno Skymarathon and Sky Trail, would have ever dared to hope for such a day?
A day when nature crowned his creature, giving the starters a dreamlike setting capable of accompanying them along the entire course. From spring-blossoming meadows to the highest rocky ridges that, at altitude, still had plenty of snow: the perfect stage to convey the epicness of two such challenging and difficult races. Races that, of course, did not spare very important technical complexities: in the case of the Skymarathon, runners faced four particularly challenging peaks: Mount Motto (2700 mt.), Punta Cassana (3016 mt.), Pizzo Cassana, also known as Piz da Rin (3007 mt.) and Mount delle Rezze (2858 mt.). Similar discourse for the Livigno Sky Trail, the short version of the competition, which thanks to a completely renewed route and the unprecedented passage to Pizzo Cassana gave strong emotions to all participants.
It was precisely the participation that was perhaps the most amazing figure of this 2023 edition, the first to also award 100 passes for the prestigious Kima Trophy, scheduled for next year. Sold out the Brooks Livigno Skymarathon, with 370 bibs assigned, and over 200 starters for the Sky Trail, with an overall turnout at the event of nearly 600 athletes. A true festival of cultures and backgrounds, as also certified by the 20+ nationalities represented at the start. From Norway to the United States, from Japan to Australia: the Planet met in Livigno, for a weekend of challenge and promotion of sports culture.
In the men's Skymarathon race immediately battle among the top men with Gianluca Ghiano, Sergio Bonaldi, Mattia Gianola and Lorenzo Beltrami fighting each other from the first kilometers. Beltrami himself, an athlete from Lecco of the Scarpa Rock Experience team, was the one to emerge solo at the finish line. Second Bonaldi, class of '78 and former long-distance champion in cross-country skiing, completes the podium Mattia Gianola. Among the women, the outcome was uncertain for three quarters of the race with Fabiola Conti and Francesca Rusconi laying down the law and contending for victory from the start.
Conti won, who with a peremptory stretch on the last climb pulled away from Rusconi and became champion. Third place went to young Giulia Pol.
Sky Trail men won by the Catalan Oller Jan Torrella, ahead of Alessandro Rossi and the other Catalan Iu Net Puig. Among women, on the other hand, a very hard-fought race won by the youngest athlete in the race today, Gabriela Lasalle Gratacos who preceded an excellent Elisa Desco who, after closing the gap on the climb, broke away again on the last descent. Chiara Lelli completed the podium.
After this success with the public and participation, the appointment with the running public is set for the Brooks Stralivigno 2023, scheduled for Saturday, July 22: one of the most striking and spectacular half-marathons of the entire season, another traditional event in the Livigno summer.
