Fifth WMRA Youth Challenge 2010 in Sauze d'Oulx (Italy): a great success.
The team present were: Bulgaria, England, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Russia, Scotland, Slovenia, Turkey, Wales and Italy.
The fifth WMRA Youth Challenge, raced last weekend in the Susa Valley (Piedmont - Italy) was very exciting, with thrilling competitions on the same hill that hosted in 2004 the World Mountain Running Trophy and in 2006 the Freestyle Ski Winter Olympic Games.
A 1.400 meters circuit, drawn through the city center and the ski slopes, was the setting of this game that brought onto the podium a total of six different nations, all competing in memory of Marco Germanetto, the young Talented Italian tragically lost in 1999.
" "The WMRA , female Challenge (3460 meters, drop +/- 180 meters), saw , the show-casing of the Russian team who for long time seemed to be occupying the whole podium. , But it was the young Welsh athlete Fiona Price who in 16.32 led the two Russians, Ekaterina Ivonina in 16.39 and Anna Khryasheva in 16.47In the nations classifications, the gold medal went , to Russia (9 points) followed by England, silver (21 points) and Ireland, bronze (35 points). Fourth host Country Italy with 41 points.
The Male race (4.840 meters, drop +/- 270 meters) saw from the first steps the domination of a couple of young Turkish athletes. On the finish line the first was be Dag Somez, who, in 19.12, has beaten Nuri Komur, 19.43.
These two were separated by the surprising Giovanni Olocco, that with his stupendous performance gained the silver medal with a time of 19.38. The Italian, not included in the national team and for this reason just racing individually did not add points to Italy in the Nation classification.
So in the nations result, , the gold medal went to Ireland (17 points), followed by Russia, silver (23 points) and Italy, bronze (27 points) , that was third with the same points of Turkish team but before due the best position of the third scoring athlete (12th Italian instead of 24th Turkish).
Great success of spectators in a wonderful sun shining day, television and press attended to the event like many authorities as - for sample - Renato Montabone, FIDAL General Secretary, Mauro Meneguzzi, Mayor of Sauze d'Oulx, Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President, and Raimondo Balicco, WMRA Council member and WMRA Delegate to the competition.
LOC (Atletica Susa with Adriano Aschieris, President, and its staff) received congratulations for the organization by all the present.
The next 6th WMRA Youth Challenge will be run on 2011 - probably - in Slovenia: final decision will be taken by WMRA Council on next WMRA Council meeting on next 3rd September 2010.
Photos by Gian Spagnolo.
Moments of boy's and girl's races.
By LOC