SPIRIT AND STIMULI IN TIMES OF COVID. MARCIALONGA'S REFLECTIONS AND INTENTIONS

Marcialonga Coop, the running competition taught us many lessons.

The 18^th edition held on September 6 is already history. The running race of Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa was a success and it especially gave important signs. But what drives an Organizing Committee to cope with the actual situation and organize an event?

“The strong will to organize the event – explains Davide Stoffie, Marcialonga CEO – it would be easier to stop and hide behind the Covid-19 “excuse”, nobody would have anything to criticize, but we are aware that these events are an incentive involving many aspects of our Community, besides the Organizing Committee”.

Marcialonga Coop represents an incentive for the local economy; this year there were athletes representing 64 districts of Italy, with no foreigners, for obvious reasons. It is also a motivation for participants: a goal to keep in mind and for which to train. In such a difficult year the participants to the 2020 events were 10.722, including the skiing event, Marcialonga virtual Cycling Craft and Marcialonga Running Coop. The event also represents a stimulus for locals, who find the usual Marcialonga festive atmosphere within their villages.

Marcialonga Running Coop is a stimulus also for foreigners, who see Marcialonga as a serious organization that can organize a secure and pleasant event even in hard times, spreading optimism for the future. “Finally – Davide Stoffie underlines – it is a stimulus for the authorities who see our persistence, representing the wish to start again, with a strong will and attention, and it should also be a stimulus for our children to see the word “positive” as a state of mind and not as the result of a test”.

Marcialonga showed that mass events can be organized following the right method and with the right spirit, especially from the side of the Organizing Committee that had to adapt to the rules and reinvent every single aspect of the event: from promotion, to registrations, race office, transports, start and finish, track, feeding stations, medical assistance and toilets everything had to be reviewed.

The Marcialonga Committee showed organizational and mental flexibility, being able to reinvent traditions that cannot be maintained and transform them, where possible, in innovations so that differences are not perceived in a negative way but rather as something new and exciting.

Some exciting and original introduction were for example the snow canons that would spray drops of water to refresh the athletes instead of sponges, the passage through the Olympic stadiums and historical corners that should substitute the run through the villages, which was not possible during this edition but is usually a must during all the Marcialonga events. Even if spectators were not allowed, there was support with lights and special effects in the final tunnel and from the volunteers, who were inciting the runners with the same big passion as usual even if hidden behind a mask or facial shields.

Marcialonga showed that the rules imposed by this unique situation must be respected and the Committee realized from the very beginning that the spring event could not take place, respecting the delicate situation and the people who were touched by it.

Now, after a moment of reflection, it is time to look towards Marcialonga 2021 and the celebrations for the 50^th anniversary of the Organizing Committee, with the usual commitment but with an eye on what is going on in the world…

 

Newspower