26 April 2025

Three Frenchmen win LGC

Michele Boscacci and Robert Antonioli win the 24th edition of the Trofeo Mezzalama and are crowned ISMF Long Distance World Champions. In the women's race, the world title goes to the French athletes Axelle Mollaret and Emily Harrop. By raising their arms to the sky, the two Italians not only conquered the XXIV edition of the Trofeo Mezzalama but also won the ISMF Long Distance World Championship. Their winning time was 4:29'19''.
In the women's race, the French pair Axelle Mollaret Gachet and Emily Harrop dominated. The French athletes won both the Trofeo Mezzalama and the ISMF Long Distance World Championship with a time of 5:23'25''.
The legendary Aosta Valley race also marked the conclusion of the La Grande Course two-year cycle, the circuit featuring the most technical and prestigious ski mountaineering races of the Alpine Arc and the Pyrenean Range.
In this special ranking, three French athletes stood on the top step of the podium: William Bon Mardion and Xavier Gachet tied for the men’s title, and Lorna Bonnel in the women's category.
The Trofeo Mezzalama is a historic race, conceived in 1933 by friends of Ottorino Mezzalama to honor his memory. On this occasion, the elite of the discipline and the "skimo race" enthusiasts (320 teams from 18 nations) faced a true alpine challenge: a 40 km route with nearly 4,000 meters of ascent, reaching the summits of Castore (4228 m a.s.l.) and Naso dei Lyskamm (4150 m a.s.l.) before descending to the finish line.
The long adventure started at 5:30 a.m. from Breuil-Cervinia, heading towards Gressoney-La-Trinité. Before the start, a minute of silence was observed in memory of Pope Francis. Among the thoughts shared by everyone was a quote from the Pope: "Never forget the beauty of life, the beauty of sport."
As predicted by Luca Mercalli, the weather conditions were perfect. A wide window of stable weather and an abundant, compact snowpack offered over 700 participants an unforgettable "Glacier Marathon."
Just before 10:00 a.m., Michele Boscacci and Robert Antonioli crossed the finish line at Gressoney-La-Trinité victorious after a long battle with the French duo Xavier Gachet and William Bon Mardion, ultimately decided on the climb leading to the base of Naso del Lyskamm.
Xavier Gachet and William Bon Mardion finished second with a time of 4:29'36''.
The podium was completed by the team of Matheo Jacquemoud and Samuel Equy, who finished third with a time of 4:33'50''.
In the women's race, the Italian team of Alba De Silvestro and Giulia Compagnoni took second place, showing incredible tenacity and strength, clocking in at 5:30'20''.
Another Italian team, composed of Ilaria Veronese and Lisa Moreschini, completed the women's podium.

Mezzalama Jeunes - Great success for the U12-U14-U16-U18-U20 race
On the same day as the XXIV Trofeo Mezzalama, the Mezzalama Jeunes race started from the Gabiet area, at the heart of the Monterosa Ski resort, reserved for the youth categories U12, U14, U16, U18, and U20.
The routes, of various lengths and elevation gains depending on the category, reflected the spirit of ski mountaineering connected to the world of La Grande Course.
In the U12 category, Louis Ratti won with a time of 25'58'', with Siméon D’Haene in second place. Among the U12 girls, Emma Lanfranchi claimed victory in 30'43'', with Marina Campana finishing second.
In the U14 category, Riccardo Lanfranchi won in 41'16'', followed by Sebastiano Perani (second) and Giacomo Barbero (third). Anna Flora Piccini won among the U14 girls.
In the U16 category, Alex Vavassori topped the podium with a time of 1:22'22''. French athlete Anatole Gagnaire finished second, while Gabriel Marca took third in 1:27'37''.
In the U16 girls' category, Veronica Bandiera won with a time of 1:32'55'', followed by Giulia Framarin.
Davide Gadin from SC Corrado Gex won the U18 category with a time of 1:17'21'', ahead of Matteo Blangero and Cristian Rozzoni, who finished second and third, respectively.
Among the U18 girls, Giorgia Pollini won with a time of 1:34'37'', followed by Marlies Sartori (1:37'41'') and Teresa Schivalocchi (1:39'41'').
The last category was U20. Among the boys, Oscar Tonietti won with a time of 1:26'37'', followed by Carlo Mazzoleni (second) and Lorenzo Milesi (third).
In the U20 girls' category, Silvia Boscacci won with a time of 1:28'02'', ahead of Laia Sellés (1:30'54'') and Martina Scola (1:37'51'').