Tomorrow 8 am starts the 51st Marcialonga
Marcialonga, a message of sport, culture, history, integration, solidarity. Beside being a Worldloppet member, Marcialonga is all this, and tomorrow on the trails of the hypothetic “Dolomiti Train”, 70 km between Moena and Cavalese, passing by Canazei, two speeds will travel. The elite of the pro series Ski Classics, will surely go all out, with a rich group to aim for the podium. 08:00 the gun will announce the start.
“Marcialonga is a peculiar race; you cannot start and reclaim the victory only because you are in good shape. You need a great condition, to be focused on your performance, have excellent skis, maybe some teammate who can help you…and then you need energies in the final to face the climb of Cascata”. These are the words of the Norwegian Kasper Stadaas, leader of the Ski Classics ranking. Other than Stadaas, are at least five the big athletes who can aspire, or better, who aim for the victory, but on the highest step of the podium there is space only for one of them. Flicking the daisy petals the names of Emil Persson, Thomas Ǿdegaarden, Tord Asle Gjerdalen and Stadaas teammates Andreas Nygaard and Johan Hoel come out. For the women predictions are easy, but also difficult. The experts say that four women can aim to the podium, Dahl, Fleten, Ǿire Slind and most importantly Magni Smedaas. They are all on the same level and with the same potential, but at Marcialonga there is space also for outsiders.
The second speed is… Ours! Everyone else’s one. A good group who looks for the result to put on display, the majority with the desire to put the finisher medal round the neck and earn a stamp in the Worldloppet Passport. It is the 51st Marcialonga, a sunny day is announced, no cold and therefore track destined to be “consumed” with the transit of many cross-country skiers. However, in many other places the races are cancelled, while here there is the determination to give satisfaction to who put two narrows skis under the feet.
Youth and charity races and Master awardings today
Today space was given to other initiatives, a noble one in collaboration with LILT (the Italian league for the fight against cancer) of president Mario Cristofolini, one of the four fantastic founders of Marcialonga. “Marcialonga Stars is a hymn to solidarity. Our message is as easy as crucial: to do lifesaver prevention and physical activity is the best way of prevention at our disposal” declares Cristofolini. And for this reason, cross-country skiers, snowshoeers and hikers gather at the Cross-Country stadium of Lago di Tesero for a non-competitive under the banner of charity. Also Francesca Gerosa, vice-president of the Province took to the track, accompanied by many ‘celebrities’ such as Cristian Zorzi, Gilberto Simoni, Domenico Volpati and Marco Albarello.
In the sunny afternoon, the children took the scene with the Minimarcialonga. Budding cross-country skiers between the 6 and 12 years old confront each other on an easy course between the trails of the stadium. The only rule: to have fun! Falls and slips are on the agenda when more than 400 children go wild at the start, but their uncontainable enthusiasm make them dart towards the finish line with a smile. Crowned by the Soreghina and Angelo Corradini, president of Marcialonga, the 11 years-old Martina Ossi and Davide Trettel the firsts to cut the finish line, but at the Minimarcialonga there are neither winners nor losers.
In the afternoon Marcialonga organizers have invited all Worldloppet Masters to a VIP reception at the Cavalese Cummunita Palace. Five new Worldloppet Masters got awarded from the Marcialonga President and La Soreghina.
