It wasn’t a dominance like that of 2 years ago when Italy won the medal table, but the Azzurri return home from European off-road championships of Annecy with 5 podiums. It matters little if it was the gold that was missing, the silver and 4 bronze medals won in the three French days they once again certify how the Italian trail running and mountain running movement is alive.
The last day of the European event was the one full of placings for the athletes of our country, good at getting on the podium 3 times.
European off-road championships, Sunday with 3 medals
On Sunday we ran the uphill and downhill test, a discipline that has always been dear to our colours. The blue selection came very close to the big target (only 3 points away), but had to “settle” for the team bronze. Generous and characterful display from the national team who, as the reigning champion team, sold their lives dearly. At the end of a tense brawl, the team formed by Cesare Maestri (fourth overall), Isaac Costa (tenth) Daniel Pattis (13th) e Alberto Vender (17th) he surrendered only to France and Great Britain (the individual title went to Roberto Delorenzi from Ticino).
Joys also came from under 20 men’s selection which, thanks to an excellent performance by Francesco Mazza (sixth), she put the category silver around her neck. Good placings also for Luca Curios (ninth), Marco Stupiggia (14th) e Gabriel Bazzoli (17th). First place for France. Medal, but bronze, also for the Italian under 20s: here they almost reached the individual podium Lucia Arnoldofourth, third at the world championships last year, but the performances of Anna Hofer (sixth), Clear Pedol (15th) Federica Borrominthe (16th).
Lucia Arnoldo, Anna Hofer, Chiara Pedol, Federica Borromini
The overall women’s team only missed the podium with Elisa Sortini, Vivien Bonzi, Beatrice Bianchi and Alice Gaggi finishing fifth.
European off-road championships, the results of Friday and Saturday
In the previous days, other placings had arrived for our national team. After the bitter debut on Friday of the men and women overall in the climb-only test with the performance of the Azzurri slipping in the French mud.
Italy had obtained a bronze in the under 20 team with Licia Ferrari, Anna Hofer, Silvia Boscacci, Debora Bertagnolli. Then on Saturday in the trail test, nothing to do for the men, but the expedition was saved with the third place for the women’s team Camilla Magliano, Martina Chialvo, Giuditta Turini, Chiara Giovando.
