MARCIALONGA ABOUT TO KICK OFF

Marcialonga ski-marathon to kick off on Sunday

Italy’s most popular long-distance XC skiing event celebrates 40^th edition

Over 7500 athletes ready to parade through Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa

Marcialonga Story among the side events on Marcialonga eve

 

Only a few hours left to the start. Marcialonga number 40 is about to kick off on Sunday morning (8.15am) and bets are open for 2013 victory. Jørgen and Anders Aukland of Norway know the Italian ski-marathon extremely well as they won the race five times as a whole in the last decade, including last year when Jørgen grabbed the gold medal ahead of his brother Anders. Sweden’s Jerry Ahrlin and Oskar Svärd, and Czech Stanislav Rezac also won the long-distance XC skiing race in the past and will certainly attempt to increase the number of trophies at home, as for Jørgen Brink who never crossed the finish line first in Trentino region, but he won last year’s Vasaloppet. Østensen, Svartedal, Vaksdal, Hoest, the Tynell brothers or Italian Santus, Kostner, Paredi, Bonaldi, Morandini and Piller Cottrer might be considered outsiders…with some good experience and skills to get on the podium.

On the women’s side, according to past editions of the race, Hansson, Lintzen and Nystrøm are the favourites, nevertheless, Swiss Seraina Boner or Italy’s Santer, Confortola and Genuin might as well say their words and battle it up.

Among the 7500 participants, the starting list reads past World Champions Koukal, Eloffsson, Rotchev, Langli and Dybendahl, but also Olympic rowing champion Olaf Tufte.

Tomorrow morning from 9.30, the Marcialonga Story vintage event will get on track from the XC stadium in Lago di Tesero and will run along 11k course up to Predazzo city centre. ‘We wanted to celebrate the first 40 chapters of Marcialonga’, said Marcialonga General Director Gloria Trettel, “and the idea came from L’Eroica retro bike race in Tuscany. We created the Register of vintage cross country skis and the rules are clear: skis, boots and clothes before 1976. It is all designed to be some sort of true experience of the golden era of XC skiing’. Franco Nones, Olympic gold medallist in Grenoble 1968, will be wearing bib number one, other than the complete outfit from the Games.

On Marcialonga eve, Marcialonga Stars, Minimarcialonga and Marcialonga Young events are scheduled at the XC arena from 1pm onwards, while at 6pm in the Tesero main square the opening ceremony will officially turn the Marcialonga 2013 on.

Info: www.marcialonga.it