Bologna – For the second consecutive year Imola (Bo) is confirmed national capital of Duathlon Sprint: here, on the weekend of saturday 1 e Sunday 2nd Aprilthe 2023 edition of the Italian championships of the sport that combines running and cycling together and which attracts increasingly large numbers of enthusiasts.
The new proves it records of male and female athletes – over 2,000 – registered for the various competitions that will take place at the“Enzo and Dino Ferrari” international racetrackwith the organizational direction of Imola Triathlon.
Numbers and program of the event, which is part of the three-year agreement between the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Italian Triathlon Federation for the organization of a series of sporting events of great interest in the region, were presented this morning in Press conference in viale Aldo Moro, in Bologna.
The head of the political secretariat of the regional presidency spoke Giammaria Manghithe mayor of Imola Marco Panieri and the president of the National Triathlon Federation, Riccardo Giubilei.
“The Italian Duathlon Sprint Championships- he underlined Mangoes- they are part of an already very rich calendar of sporting events, which aims to make Emilia-Romagna more and more the Sport Valley of Italy. It is no coincidence that next year we will host the “Grand Départ Florence Émilie-Romagne” for the first time in its more than 100-year history, the Grand Start of the 2024 Tour de France. We are investing huge resources in this direction, as well as in the upgrading of the plant grassroots sports, in the belief that sport is an important vehicle for the promotion of the territory and of fundamental values for the training of young people. The agreement signed with Fitri fits into this framework and represents a model of relationships on which to continue”.
“The news of over 2,000 subscribers – he declared Baskets– fills us with satisfaction, a first important goal to share with the organization. The Duathlon Sprint Championships are an event that we are honored and happy to host, which continues to grow, in the suggestive location of the “Enzo and Dino Ferrari” racetrack, putting even more emphasis on its multifunctionality. A circuit which, with its international fame, will once again give our city emotions, colors and sounds, making it the protagonist of a highly followed and appreciated competitive event. Thanks to the Italian Triathlon Federation, to the Emilia-Romagna Region for this great investment in sport, to Imola Triathlon, to the volunteers, operators and athletes who will arrive in our city in a few days. We are waiting for you!”.
“A few days before the start of the competitions – he remarked Jubilees – we can already rejoice for a first and important result, the new record of subscribers achieved thanks to the teamwork put in place in collaboration with the Region, the Municipality of Imola, the Emilia-Romagna tourism promotion company and the organizers locals. A fact that demonstrates the constant growth of the movement and the goodness of the choices made by our Federation”.
The competition programme
In the two days in Imola the absolute tricolor titles of specialties, male and female, in addition to those Under 23, Age Group and of 2×2 relay. Also up for grabs Chrono Cup and, for the first time in the history of the event, the athletes of the Paraduathlon Super Sprintdisabled competitors divided into categories based on the different recognized disabilities.
The first scheduled race Saturday 1st April it is the absolute and under 23 women’s Italian championship, with the departure set at 8.30. Following the Italian championship and under 23 men (10.45), then the Age Group races for women (13.30) and men (15).
Sunday 2nd April it resumes with the Italian 2×2 relay championship (8.30), then the Paraduathlon athletes (11) will take to the track. The last scheduled race is the Time Trial Cup (14).
I’m over 200 sports clubs represented in Imola. The most competitive Italian athletes in circulation will participate in the championships: in addition to the holders of the tricolor titles (Samuel Angeliniabsolute and under 23 e Marta Bernardiabsolute), among the members there are Asia Mercatelli and Nicolò Astori, fresh graduates of the Under 23 and Junior European champions at the recent continental competition in Caorle (Ve).
Also on the track were the European champions of Winter Triathlon, Sandra Mairhofer and Franco Pesavento, as well as the Azzurri of Triathlon Marta Menditto, Michele Sarzilla and Ilaria Zane.
The two days of Imola is just one of the many projects that see the collaboration between the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Italian Triathlon Federation, as part of thethree-year agreement signed in 2022 to support the organization of large-scale sporting events in the region, to promote a sport that in Italy counts around 30,000 members, 19,000 men e 11.000 donne.
Among the qualifying points of the agreement also the birth a Cesenain the area of the sports center of the Hippodrome, of the first Federal Triathlon Centrea project resulting from the collaboration between the Emilia-Romagna Region, Fitri and the Municipality of Romagna, supported by a loan from 4 million euros of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNNR).
The Imola races can be followed not only from the grandstands of the Autodrome, but also in live stream on the official channels of the Italian Triathlon Federation.
Giancarlo Martelli
Attached:
- photos from the press conference and from the past edition of the event;
- the program of the Italian Duathlon Sprint 2023 Championships