Presented in Pedavena the 13th edition of the Corsa di Santa Claus, the party for everyone that anticipates the Christmas festivities has been postponed to 8 December. Gianpietro Slongo of the Giro delle Mura «The weather forecasts are clear, the party would have been ruined».
The race, which will develop into two routes of 6 and 12 kilometres, was initially scheduled for Sunday 4 December. The Organizing Committee made up of representatives of the Giro delle Mura “Città di Feltre” Association, of the Pro Loco Pedavena, and of the Pedavena Brewery, after observing the weather forecast announced for Sunday 4 December, found it more appropriate to move the event to Thursday 8 December, Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
The presentation began with the intervention of the president of the Proloco Pedavena Elvio Cecchet who thanked all the volunteers and underlined the importance of the collaboration undertaken with the Giro delle Mura Association.
The floor was given to the mayor of Pedavena Nicola Castellaz. «Pedavena is animated all year round, thanks to the constant commitment of the volunteers, by high-calibre events that attract people from all over Italy. The Santa Claus Run is one of the most popular events that closes the year in celebration with a very special and heartfelt exchange of greetings. It is an event dedicated in particular to schools and families, able to combine sport with the discovery of our beautiful territory. I am very happy that, after an initial experimentation, the link with Feltre has been consolidated, given by the passage of the route in the heart of the city. This is the beginning of a well-defined path after the recognition of the Pedavena-Feltre trade district».
After the institutional landlord, the word passed to the logistical landlord since the Brewery will be the headquarters of the event. Lionello Gorza, president of the Dolomiti Prealpi Tourist Consortium and owner of the Pedavena Brewery believes a lot in this Christmas event.
«The Santa Claus Race – explains Lionello Gorza – is an event which, thanks to the help of associations and local authorities, has always grown over the years and has always been one of the most attended and loved by families. This year we are confident that we can return to pre-pandemic numbers. From a tourist point of view, the event will allow participants to get to know the most beautiful views of Pedavena and also of Feltre which returns to the route after a first successful experiment of the 2019 edition. The events are the most engaging and direct way of doing local promotion”.
Before moving on to the technical notes, there was a greeting from the commissioner of the Feltre Municipality, Maurizio Zatta. «A community like Pedavena – said Zatta – which establishes these synergies of collaboration with volunteers and associations of neighboring territories has already won. Santa’s run embodies fundamental values such as sport, school, family and volunteering in its DNA.
The date shift was already in the air from late Wednesday morning, but it was Gianpietro Slongo in his speech who formalized the postponement to Thursday 8 December. «When there are these weather forecasts – the president of the Giro delle Mura began – the decisions to be made, however difficult they may be, are quite clear. Santa’s run is a celebration dedicated to schools and families and bad weather would certainly have ruined this moment of joy and sport». «When the Proloco di Pedavena and our friend Lionello Gorza asked the Giro delle Mura Association to lend a hand, it was natural to confirm our presence. The Christmas spirit and the participation of many schools and families are elements that intertwine very well with the Giro della Mura».
The event, combined with the Christmas village, is organized by the Giro delle Mura “Città di Feltre” Association, the Pro Loco Pedavena, and the Pedavena Brewery, under the aegis of the CSI and with the patronage of the Municipalities of Pedavena and Feltre, the Veneto Region , the Treviso – Belluno Dolomites Chamber of Commerce and the Dolomiti Prealpi Tourist Consortium.
Then appointment on Thursday 8 December, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, departure at 10 from the Pedavena Brewery and arrival in the largest brewery park in Italy. As for the registrations for the non-competitive race, they will be open until a few moments before departure. While the registrations for the competitive race will close on Tuesday 6 December. All participants will be given a “Santa Claus” hat.
COMPETITIVE RACE 12KM
It is open to men and women who are at least eighteen years old and must be completed within the day before the start of the race. Participants must present a medical certificate of fitness for competitive sports (Athletics/Trail or other equivalent). Entries will close on December 2nd.
LUDIC MOTOR WALKING 6KM / 12KM
It is open to everyone and it is not necessary to present a medical certificate. As regards the participation of minors, the release must be signed by the accompanying adult. It will also be possible to register on the day of the race.
SPECIAL SCHOOLS
The organizers wish to make this event known to all the students of the Province, from primary to high schools of first and second grade, with the aim of promoting the race as a moment of aggregation. For this reason it intends to involve all the children who attend schools, rewarding the first three most numerous classes. The event reserved for students will take place on the 6 km route. For school groups, a pre-registration sent to [email protected] is mandatory and will be collected by the teachers of the school complex to which they belong. Only pupils enrolled in classes with at least 15 participants will be counted in the ranking.
For information and to download the regulation, visit the websites www.girodellemura.it and www.prolocopedavena.it