Marcialonga

The 48th Marcialonga is just around the corner. Two days to go until the Italian Worldloppet race will take place on Sunday 31 January. With many restrictions due to the pandemic. The event will be held ‘behind closed doors’, but there will be around 2000 participants from 24 different countries. In addition to Italy with 1467 participants, the most represented countries will be the Czech Republic (161), Norway (120) and Sweden (116) – this is not surprising given their love for Marcialonga. Japan, Cyprus, UK, Romania, Belgium, Canada and Belarus will have only one athlete at the start, due to their less deep-rooted cross-country skiing tradition. Even Brazil will be represented by a cross-country skier who lives and works in Val di Fiemme.

When talking about the favorites, all eyes will be on the Norwegians Petter Eliassen, winner in 2019, Morten Eide Pedersen and Tord Asle Gjerdalen, who won three Marcialonga editions in a row from 2015 to 2017. Sweden’s Oskar Kardin and Emil Persson, both on the podium at the Toblach-Cortina last weekend, could leave their mark too.

As for Italy, the top athletes will be Mauro Brigadoi and Francesco Ferrari, but Gilberto Panisi and Lorenzo Busin could get some good results too and try to beat the more titled Nordic cross-country skiers.

On the women’s side, the favorite is Britta Johansson Norgren of Sweden, who has won several times in Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa but who suffered from frostbite in Switzerland 10 days ago. She has registered for the race but it’s not sure if she takes part in it. Other favorites for the victory are the Norwegian Astrid Oyre Slind, the Czech Katerina Smutna and the Swede Lina Korsgren, winner of the Toblach-Cortina event.

Besides the traditional Marcialonga – the men will start from Moena at 8 a.m. followed by the women 5 minutes after – the organizers will stage two side events: on Saturday the 9th Marcialonga Story starting from 10 a.m., a non-competitive revival that celebrates the history of cross-country skiing, and the 11th Marcialonga Young at 2.30 p.m. on a 4km course where the male and female “Ragazzi” categories will compete; on Sunday, in addition to the main event, there will be the categories “Allievi”, “Aspiranti” and “Junior” of the Marcialonga Young starting at 8.45 a.m.

In Italy the races can be followed from the comfort of home thanks to a live coverage on Sky Sport1 and Sky Sport Arena. Those who wish to follow the Marcialonga live can also use the Sky Go and Now Tv apps.

After 50 years, the history of Marcialonga continues…