On Saturday afternoon, the challenge to win the Italian Specialty Cup attracted some athletes from the Italian scene to the Schia-Monte Caio tracks. At the end of a fast and explosive race run on the 10.8 km track with 800 m of positive altitude difference, Gianluca Ghiano (ASD Santiano Dante) and Corinna Ghirardi (Skyrunning Adventure ASD) were the first to stop the time trial, defeating the day’s competition and putting an end to the games to win the Italian Cup.
In the men’s field, the race was decided at the top of the last ascent and the victory was claimed by Ghiano thanks to a descent masterfully interpreted by the Piedmontese athlete who, on the negative slope, breaks the deadlock, outpacing a Fabio Martinat (Piossasco Trail Runners ASD) in excellent form, second across the finish line; third Matteo Lora (Skyrunning Adventure ASD) with a time of 00h 57′ 05”.
In the women’s race, the performances expressed by the athletes who started with the underdogs were excellent: Corinna Ghirardi reached the finish line in Schia with a lead and, with the third consecutive victory in the Italian SkySnow Cup circuit, achieved the hat-trick. Success hard-earned and built on the climb by the multiple champion from Lombardy, who had to watch her back from the strong downhill skier Giulia Pol (Orecchiella Garfagnana ASD) who came second, and from the possible comeback of Benedetta Broggi (Sport Project VCO ASD) the Italian vice-champion of the specialty, third at the finish line with 01h:05′:57”.
Please remember that the Schia race closed the selection of athletes who will have the opportunity to represent Italy at the next SkySnow World Championships in Tarvisio (8-9 March); the official list will be communicated in the next few days.
At the end of the race, there will be room for celebrations – double for the occasion – with the awards ceremony for the winners of the day and of the “CRAZY SkySnow Italy Cup 2024” Italian Cup and the awarding of the prize money of €3,000.00 made available by the Federation.
Race ranking – men:
1st Giano Gianluca 00:56′:10” (ASD Santiano Dante)
2° Martinat Fabio 00h:56′:16” (Piossasco Trail Runners ASD)
3° Lora Matteo 00h:57′:05” (Skyrunning Adventure ASD)
4° Philippot Joseph 00h:58′:18” (APD Point Saint Martin)
5° Negro Andrea 00h:58′:24” (Outdoor With Us ASD)
Race rankings – women
1° Ghirardi Corinna 01h:02′:08” (Skyrunning Adventure ASD)
2nd Pol Giulia 01h:04′:12” (Orecchiella Garfagnana ASD)
3rd Broggi Benedetta 01h:05′:57” (Sport Project VCO ASD)
4th Giovando Chiara 01h:06′:32” (ASD Pegarun)
5th Polito Sabrina 01h:20′:49” (Atletica Reggio ASD)