On the vertical race the fial of the new VK Open Championship
At the end of October, the finals will have arrived in the mountains of Alto Garda. While the Skyrace on Saturday Oct. 30 (start time 10:00 a.m.) will be the final of the Skyrunner® World Series circuit for the 8th consecutive time, the vertical climb scheduled for Friday Oct. 29 (start time 4:00 p.m.) will decree the king and queen of the brand new VK Open Championship, the challenge for "only up" specialists proposed by the ISF (International Skyrunning Federation).
THE CIRCUIT:
In this "Edition Zero", nine races in six different European countries will put the athletes to the test, from the south of Spain (KV Sierra Nevada) to the edge of the Arctic Circle with the Blåmann Vertical in Norway. The circuit also includes prestigious events like the Vertical Kilometer in Canazei.
With the Portuguese race still to be run this weekend (Santana Vertical Kilometer®) and double points yet to be awarded in the final in Limone, the provisional men's ranking is currently led by talented Swiss athlete Roberto Delorenzi (138 points). During the final, Benoit Gandolfi (124) and Damien Humbert (112) of France will also be vying for the title. In the women's category, the current leader is the specialist of vertical races and already the winner of the Vertical World Circuit (the skyscraper racing tour) Yuri Yoshizumi (152 points). She is followed by Charlotte Cotton of Belgium (148 points) and the Bulgarian Ivona Mikhailova (128 points).
A LAST TEST THAT IS EXTREME IN NAME AND IN FACT:
A vertical climb of 1,080 meters not even 3 km long is definitely impressive, but what certainly attracts spectators and the public is the amazing panorama of the race. From just 60 meters above sea level, the course shoots up an adrenaline-pumping trail to 1160 meters above sea level and the finish line. The race will begin, as always, on the Lungolago Marconi lakeside boulevard. After a first flat stretch, you enter the historic town center until you reach a characteristic olive grove. From here, along a ridge, the climb becomes increasingly difficult, grueling, and spectacular. Arriving at Dosso dei Roveri (about halfway) you enter the woods and then continue along the ridge towards the summit. Near the end, the course also has two brief descents, but it is anything but relaxing: the route passes over rock falls that seem to crash into the lake below. The finish line is in the "Nembra" area with a breathtaking view.
