Monte Rosa SkyMarathon

The Monte Rosa SkyMarathon is an international skyrunning competition held in Alagna Valsesia on Monte Rosa (Italy) which marked the origins of skyrunning.

Monte Rosa SkyMarathon
DateJune
LocationItaly Alagna Valsesia, Monte Rosa
Event typeSkyMarathon
Distance35 km - 7,000m +/-
Established1992
Course records4h24'27" (men) 5h34'40" (women)
Official sitewww.monterosaskymarathon.com

History

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The first edition of the race was in 1992 to and from Alagna, reaching Colle del Lys at 4,250m where the race was turned around due to strong winds. In 1993 and 1994, and from 2018, the race course was from Alagna, 1,192m to the summit of Monte Rosa, 4,554m and back, making it Europe's highest race. (In 1996 the highest point reached was the Gnifetti Hut, 3,647m).[1]

Between 2002 and 2011 the race (also known as Trofeo Stefano Degasparis) took place on a different course to and from Alagna to the Passo dei Salati at 2,980m.

In 2009 the race was valid for the Skyrunner World Series.

When the original course was relaunched in 2018 (the 25th anniversary of the first race to the summit), a new rule was introduced where participants race in teams of two for safety.

The winners of the 2019 edition were Italian William Boffelli with Austrian Jakob Herrmann (men) (4h51'58") and Natalia Tomasiak with Katarzyna Solinska (women) from Poland (6h38'14").

The record holders for the original course (Alagna - Monte Rosa - Alagna) are Italians Fabio Meraldi in 4h24' and Gisella Bendotti in 5h34', both set in 1994. Emelie Forsberg finished in a faster time of 5h03'56" in 2018. She teamed with Kilian Jornet in a mixed gender team which falls into the male category, Bendotti's individual time still stands. Forsberg's time is the best female performance over the course.[2]

Editions

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Year Max elevation Men's winner Women's winner
1992* 4,250m   Adriano Greco   Gisella Bendotti   Bruna Fanetti
1993 4,554m   Ettore Champretavy   Gisella Bendotti
1994 4,554m   Fabio Meraldi   Gisella Bendotti
1996* 3,647m   Bruno Brunod   Gisella Bendotti
2018 4,554m   Franco Collé   William Boffelli   Hillary Gerardi   Holly Page
2019 4,554m   Jakob Herrmann   William Boffelli   Natalia Tomasiak   Katarzyna Solinska

Legend: *reduced course due to bad weather

Trofeo Stefano Degasparis

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From 2002 to 2011 the race took place on a different course from Alagna to the Passo dei Salati at 2,980m and back.

Year Max elevation Men's winner Women's winner
2002* 2,980m   Jean Pellissier   Gisella Bendotti
2003* 2,980m   Bruno Brunod   Gisella Bendotti
2004* 2,980m   Lucio Fregona   Gloriana Pellissier
2005* 2,980m   Fulvio Dapit   Gisella Bendotti
2006* 2,980m   Lucio Fregona   Wera Soukhowa
2007* 2,980m   Lucio Fregona   Gisella Bendotti
2008** 2,980m   Paolo Bert   Emanuela Brizio
2009 2,980m   Fulvio Dapit   Emanuela Brizio
2010 2,980m   Tadei Pivk   Emanuela Brizio
2011 2,980m   Fulvio Dapit   Gisella Bendotti

Legend: *28 km course; **reduced course due to snow[3]

References

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  1. ^ https://www.monterosaskymarathon.com/
  2. ^ "Kilian Jornet: "Monte Rosa SkyMarathon - one of the best races in the world"". 24 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-11-11. Retrieved 2017-11-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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