polonia

Sabato 14 marzo a Varsavia andrà in scena la Rondo 1 Run Up, gara di towerrunning valida come prova di Grand Prix dell’omonima federazione mondiale . Quattro italiani al via della competizione che vedrà gli atleti impegnati sui 38 piani e 786 gradini della torre finanziaria al centro della capitale polacca. Tornano a Varsavia Fabio Ruga e Cristina Bonacina, entrambi già vincitori in passato della competizione.

Ruga

Fabio Ruga in una foto d’archivio

Il lariano della Recastello è uno dei favoriti al podio finale vista la propensione a questo tipo di gare ma dovrà vedersela con i migliori tre atleti al mondo secondo il ranking attuale. Il tedesco Cristian Riedl è il favorito numero uno dopo la vittoria nell’Empire State Building Run Up, attenzione anche al campione uscente e recordman della gara, il polacco Piotr Lobodinski e al ceko Tomas Celko, fortissimo sulle gare di breve durata come quella di Varsavia. Cerca un posto nella top ten di giornata anche l’altro atleta italiano al via Emanuele Manzi, più a suo agio su gare di maggiore lunghezza ma che quest’inverno ha fornito buone prove anche in quelle sprint.

Lele

Emanuele Manzi

In campo femminile occhi puntati sulle atlete di casa Dominika Wisniewska-Ulfik , vincitrice lo scorso anno che dovrà vedersela dall’ “assalto” della ceka Lenka Sbavikova nonhcè dall’austriaca Maria Therese Handlbauer.

Bonacina

Cristina Bonacina al via della gara polacca

L’italiana Cristina Bonacina reduce dal viaggio in Messico dove ha conquistato la terza piazza nella Carrera Torre Latino cercherà un ennesimo piazzamento di prestigio per arricchire il suo lungo palmares. Fa il suo esordio in questo tipo di gare l’azzurra di corsa in montagna della Recastello Samantha Galassi. La toscana, bergamasca d’adozione, che si trova particolarmente a suo agio nelle gare vertical potrebbe essere la vera e propria sorpresa di giornata.

Samantha

L’azzurra Samantha Galassi (foto maroneacolori.it)

La gara sarà visibile in diretta streaming al link http://www.biegnaszczyt.pl/node/2590

English news by Towerrunning Federation

Rondo 1 Run Up March 14, 2015 Competition heats up for Towerrunning Grand Prix of Poland The Towerrunning Grand Prix of Poland returns to Warsaw this Saturday for the 5th edition of the Rondo 1 Run Up. The elite men’s and women’s field are stacked with some of the world’s top-ranked stair runners as they hone their final preparations for the upcoming Towerrunning World Championships. …

The men’s field includes the current top 3 ranked World Cup athletes, comprising hometown hero, World Cup leader and defending champion Piotr Lobodzinksi (POL), 2014 World Cup silver medallist Tomas Celko (SVK), and recent Empire State Building Run Up champion Christian Riedl (GER). “There is a lot of pressure on me after my victory in Warsaw last year and a very successful 2014 season,” acknowledges Lobodzinksi, “but I will handle it. I know I am in good shape and I will do my best to defend my title.” He will face stiff competition from the inform Riedl, who is looking forward to returning to Warsaw and going one better than last year. “After being 3rd in 2013 and 2nd in 2014 it would be fantastic to stand on top of the podium this year” said Riedl, “However I am aware that the race will be very competitive, but I will do my best.” Celko indicated similar sentiments, “My training sessions are stronger than last year and I hope to go faster…and of course I would like to be in a medal position.” The women’s elite race will also see the return of last year’s champion Dominika Wisniewska-Ulfik (POL). “I really want to defend my title at Rondo 1 Run Up. I am training hard for the race and hope for a new course record” said the Polish champion. She will face tough competition from 2014 Towerrunning World Cup silver medallist Lenka Svabikova (CZE) who will be competing in the event for the third time “Last year, I promised the race organiser I would come back in even better shape, so I will be doing my best to celebrate my first victory in Warsaw”, and World Cup bronze medallist Maria Therese Handlbauer (AUT). Other top 10 ranked athletes including Christina Bonacina (ITA) and Jana Zatlukalova will also be in the mix. The race, up 836 steps and 38 floors of the Rondo 1 building, has an interesting format comprising an all-important qualifying round and a final round for the 12 fastest men and women. The qualifying round is critical for the final starting position, as runners will line up in a starting order according to their results achieved in the qualifying round, with the fastest leading off; while the other finalists will start after the amount of seconds they lost to him/her in the qualification round. The first runner to reach the finish line will be the winner.