Entries closed for Lagorai - Cima d'Asta (24/02) : the World Cup is already a success (IT)

The ski-mountaineering race “Scialpinistica Lagorai - Cima d’Asta” is already a success and there is still a week to go before the start!

Yesterday the organisers of the individual World Cup race, scheduled for next Saturday 25 February on the mountains surrounding the lovely valley of Tesino, in the eastern part of the Trentino region, were forced to close the entries due …to the excessive number of competitors. Now, only the athletes holding a ISMC licence will be admitted, i.e. those aiming at obtaining World Cup points.

Athletes belonging to the national teams of the USA, France, Japan, Slovak Republic, Spain, Bulgaria and Andorra will be present but many other countries will be represented too.

The decision was taken yesterday because the entries exceeded 300 and an excessive number of competitors cannot take part in an event of this kind also for safety reasons.

It is the first time that the “Scialpinistica Lagorai Cima D’Asta” is included in the World Cup circuit and the race of 25 February, just before the beginning of the World Championships in Cuneo, will be the final individual race, as well as a race valid for the junior and cadet European Cup.

The route has already been prepared by alpine guides, co-ordinated by Franco Melchiori, the real “soul” of this event that this year will be held for the 16th time.

There are great expectations for the Italian team too and competing in Italy may help them to obtain a good result, especially after the initial race in Spain, where adverse meteorological conditions affected the result. The World Cup leaders are French Gachet among men and Italian Martinelli, among women.

The race on Saturday will start at 8.30 a.m. from Malga Sorgazza; seniors and espoirs will face a total height difference of 3,224 metres over 17.5 km, while juniors will make 12 km, with a height difference of 2,178 metres.

Info on www.skiteamlagorai.it

Mario Facchini

www.newspower.it