Challenge Stellina: Everything is ready for the Nations Trophy
Challenge Stellina returns to its origins in style; Sunday 28th of August sees the 34th edition of one of mountain running's true classics which, for the first time since 2006, will once again become the Nations Trophy.
The national teams of the USA, Great Britain, France, Germany and Slovenia join the host nation Italy in the 2022 edition. This marks the beginning of a new era for the race, with the intention of maintaining this international competition for years to come.
Challenge Stellina was created to commemorate the battle of the Grange Sevine where, on August 26th 1944, the partisans led by commander Aldo Laghi, alias Giulio Bolaffi, defeated German forces in the mountains of the Susa Valley. Bringing together the nations that then faced each other in conflict, the international competiton at the race marks the anniversary of that battle with a sporting contest in peace time.
Livio Berruti, Olympic champion of Rome 1960 and president of the Organizing Committee, together with Paolo Germanetto, president of Atl. Susa Adriano Aschieris, organizers of the event, have no doubts: "Given the current international situation and the historical moment, we are convinced that the initiative can take on an even stronger and more important meaning, which goes beyond the boundaries of a simple sporting gesture."
The Favourites
The stars and stripes representatives include the two reigning world champions: Grayson Murphy and Joe Gray. In 2021 Murphy won Trofeo Nasego, a classic of mountain running in Italy, while Gray, a 2 time World Champion having also won the title in 2016, is also the national uphill champion. Murphy may well have her sights set on the women's course record of 1:29:41, set by the Austrian champion Andrea Mayr in last year's edition.
In the women's race, another expected protagonist is Scotland's Scout Adkin, individual bronze medallist in the up and down race at the 2022 European Championships in El Paso, as well as team gold medallist in the uphill only race alongside her compatriot Kirsty Dickson, who is also competing at Stellina.
Among the Italians there will also be Camilla Magliano (Pod. Turin), who won here in 2017, together with Maddalena Somà (Atl. Roata Chiusani), a cross-country skiing specialist making her debut in the senior national team, and Gloria Giudici (Freezone), ninth at the European Championships in the uphill only race.
In the men's field, as well as the presence of the American Joe Gray, England's Chris Richards, third at Fletta Trail in Malonno, and the Frenchman Julien Rancon, world champion of the Trail in 2019 should be mentioned; without forgetting the Slovenian team, recent winners of the 59th edition of the Staffetta Tre Rifugi in Collina di Forni Avoltri, with captain Timotej Bečan.
But Italy plays its best cards and can aspire to a prestigious result. The Italian team can count on Henri Aymonod (U.S. Malonno), winner of last year's Stellina and reigning Mountain Running World Cup champion, returning after some injuries and the aftermath caused by COVID. Also Andrea Rostan (Atl. Saluzzo), winner of the Piz Tri Vertical and first Italian at Giir di Mont Uphill in Premana, the most recent race of the Italian championship, Daniel Pattis (ASD Suedtirol Team Club), the most talented of the young italian in recent years and without forgetting Alex Baldaccini (G.S. Orobie) who won here in 2017 and 2015.
However, it is hard to see anyone attacking the course record, still in the hands of the 13 time winner of Challenge Stellina, Jonathan Wyatt with 1:14:37 in 2004.
In the junior race the big names are the German Lukas Ehrle, European champion in the uphill, and Matilde Bonino (Atl. Stronese-Nuova Nord Affari), 5th in the uphill race at the European Championships.
The Challenge Stellina weekend begins on Saturday 27th August in Piazza del Sole in Susa. Scheduled from 16.00: "Athletics goes to the square", an activity dedicated to children and adults by Atletica Susa and, at 18.00, the presentation of TOP athletes and institutional greetings. The presence of the Councilor for Sport of the Piedmont Region Fabrizio Ricca has been announced, to underline how the Challenge is one of the top appointments in the calendar of events of the Piedmont European Region of Sport 2022.
Photos by Damiano Benedetto.