After the successful relaunch in 2018 of the historic Monte Rosa SkyMarathon in the Italian Alps, the next edition will take place on June 22, 2019.
The 2018 event attracted some of the world’s top athletes in a field of 300 participants from 23 countries. They included skyrunning superstars Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg, the men’s winners Franco Collé and William Boffelli and women’s winners Hillary Gerardi and Holly Page.
It is Europe’s highest race reaching the Margherita Hut at 4,554m altitude. A “mere” 35 kilometres long, it boasts a gruelling 7,000m ascent and descent over moraine, snow fields and glaciers. Due to the high altitude and challenging conditions, the event is open only to athletes with mountaineering experience. Above the snow line, they must wear harnesses, rope up and wear crampons.
Incredibly spectacular scenery is one of the attractions of the race, where from the summit of Europe’s second highest mountain, Monte Rosa, the 360° view takes in the major 4,000m peaks, including the Matterhorn.
The Monte Rosa SkyMarathon retraces the original course dating back to 1993. It was here that the sport of skyrunning was born and here where it will continue to thrive.
The organisers, the AMA Committee, together with the skyrunning founders and institutional and media partners and sponsors, look forward to presenting this second “new” edition and putting those incredible standing records* set back in 1994, up for grabs again.
Details of the shorter race to 3,260m. for individual runners will be announced shortly.
Stay tuned for entry dates and join us on June 22, 2019 for the race of the century!
*The standing records are 4h24’ by Fabio Meraldi and 5h34 by Gisella Bendotti. (Emelie Forsberg’s 2018 time of 5h03’56” was the best female performance in a mixed gender team).
INFO: Monte Rosa SkyMarathon
