Bad weather and Covid defeated. The organizers: “We can leave safely, we have demonstrated it”
CORDIGNANO
Tregenda time for the over 500 athletes of the Trail del Patriarca staged yesterday in Villa di Villa, a hamlet of Cordignano.
The ninth edition of the event, won by the Slovenian Zan Zepic (with the second pievigino Alessio Camilli) and by the Trieste-born Nicol Guidolin, led the participants to “climb”, in the heavy rain, among the paths and dirt roads in the foothills, up to enter the suggestive beech woods of the Cansiglio.
Time has spoiled the landscape a little, but the many who arrived also from outside the Triveneto, were still able to enjoy the naturalistic spectacle, also passing through the suggestive Parco dei Carbonai.
And then again up, up to 1150 meters of Col Oliver, the highest point of the route of 23.5 km and a positive difference in height of 1400 meters (originally the km were 25, but a modification of the route was necessary after the prohibition of enter the municipality of Caneva, still in the red zone being in the province of iPordenone). Both the mud, as well as the fatigue encountered by lovers of off-road racing, to reach the “top”, but also in descending towards the plain, with the ground made unstable and therefore particularly technical. More than someone has suffered, but everyone was happy to be there (following the anti Covid protocols, mask for the first 500 meters). Cold and dirty with mud and earth, the trailers of all ages and training levels were a hymn to the restart of the sport. The fastest of all was Zepic, a 23-year-old Slovenian from At Olimpik, who crossed the finish line after 1h52’37 ”. Behind him, at 37 ”, Alessio Camilli (Karpos), ex biker from Pieve di Soligo, protagonist of a good comeback race. «I climbed the hill with a delay of a couple of minutes from Zepic, I knew I could go fast downhill: I recovered some positions, but the gap was too wide. Now I’m aiming for the Duerocche », said the pievigino, already winner of the Trail del Patriarca in 2018 and fourth in 2019. Bronze for Michele Meridio (Faizanè Runners Team).
In the absolute female domination of Guidolin (Tornado), first in 2h16’55 ”. Off by more than eight minutes Giulia Pol (Asd Black Warriors), third za Valentina Michielli (WLF TeamSport, 2h28’49 ”). Also in the race “characters” of the race. Like Christian Modena, from Trentino who last year, in full lockdown, had celebrated his birthday by running almost 27,000 steps in just over 5 hours, or like Sappada Fabrizio Puntel, who in one year ran 5119 kilometers with an altitude difference of 532,130 meters on the mountains of Sappada and in the surrounding areas.
«We have shown that you can play sport safely», commented Ivan Cao, president of the Marathon School, organizing company with the Pro Loco Belvedere, «It was a good restart. We hope ours is only the first of a long series of trails in the coming months. We have also given a positive message to other organizers: you can run. Present were the city councilor for sport, Roberto Campagna, the mayor Alessandro Biz and the president of Pro Belvedere, Edoardo Benetti.
RESULTS. Men: 1. Zan Zepic (CEO Olimpik) 1h 52’37 “, 2. Alessio Camilli (Karpos) 1h 53’14”, 3. Michele Meridio (Faizanè Runners Team) 1h 55’29 “, 4. Francesco Baldessari (Atl . Trento) 1h 55’38 “, 5. Matteo Vecchietti (Cembra Valley) 1h 56’18”, 6. Nicola Giovanelli (La Sportiva) 1h 56’50 “, 7. Adrian Niski (Adidas Terrex) 1h 56’54 “, 8. Marco Piccin (Mercuryus) 1h 57’07”. Women: 1. Nicol Guidolin (Tornado) 2h16’55 “, 2. Giulia Pol (Asd Black Warriors) 2h 25’20”, 3. Valentina Michielli (TeamSport) 2h 28’49 “, 4. Alessandra Olivi (White Shoes) 2h 35’52 “, 5. Silvia Sangalli (Orecchiella Garfagnana) 2h 37’45”, 6. Federica Rizzo (Montanaia Racing) 2h 44’30 “, 7. Ornella Bona 2h 45’50”, 8. Silvia Pistorello (Amateurs Atl. Chirignago) 2h46’28 “. –
Salima Barzanti