Trofeo Nasego race recap written by Alberto Stretti. Photo credits: Damiano Benedetto and Marco Gulberti. More race photos are available on Flickr.com.
One Italy’s premier national mountain running events, Trofeo Nasego, on Sunday became a top-flight international event in absence of the now cancelled 2020 World Mountain Running Championships.
Prior to the race Sylvain Cachard (France) focused his training on this competition and he confirmed all by winning with new course record. About his win at Trofeo Nasego, Cachard said, “Knowing the course helped me a lot today and on long uphill I was sure about myself pushing hard and seeing Francesco Puppi almost tired. In last downhill, I ran as fast as never in my life. So happy to have won here in Casto where they love so much mountain running.”
The long battle with Francesco Puppi (Italy) made this race so exciting and emotional: on finish line Cachard won Trofeo Nasego in 1 hour 34 minutes 11 seconds, new course record around one minute and more faster than old one. Puppi finished in second place in 1 hour 35 minutes 16 seconds also under former record. He also won the Italian National Mountain Running title in the long distance category. Another Italian star Xavier Chevrier, back to racing after injury, took an impressive third place in 1 hour 37 minutes 28 seconds. Andrew Douglas (Scotland) finished fourth in 1 hour 37 minutes 36 seconds and Julien Rancon (France) fifth in 1 hour 38 minutes 01 second.
Irish star Sarah McCormack came to the Casto region a favorite to win and again demonstrated her talent around Nasego going on to win Trofeo Nasego in a great solo effort.
McCormack made her big move in middle of race and former World Mountain Running Champion Lucy Murigi (Kenya) could not follow her. The athlete of Team Ireland arrived on finish line alone and happy in 1 hour 52 minutes 32 seconds, one of the fastest ever women’s times at Trofeo Nasego. After the race McCormack said, “Absolutely delighted to have won here in Casto against such a great field. I’m happy with all the people cheering me along the course. I gave my best in last downhill and I’m so proud of my race.“
The new Italian women’s Long Distances Mountain Running Champion was Erica Ghelfi who finish second in 1 hour 53 minutes 36 seconds and the podium was completed by Elisa Sortini (Italy) in 1 hour 54 minutes 34 seconds. Young Italian rising start Alessia Scaini was fourth in 1 hour 55 minutes 33 seconds and Primitive Niyirora (Rawanda) was fifth in 1 hour 56 minutes 4 seconds.
Trofeo Nasego was also host of the first edition of an international under 20 year old match between Italy, Slovenia and Czech Republic. In the U20 men’s race Alain Cavagna (Italy) won in front of his teammate Alessandro Crippa. Adela Kolackova (Czech Republic) was the winner in the women’s U20 race.
