Mezzalama Trophy

{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=September 2022}}

{{Infobox athletics race

| bgcolour = lightblue

| image = trofeo-mezzalama-logo.png

| imagesize =

| caption =

| date = April

| location = {{flagicon|ITA}} Aosta Valley

| type = Ski mountaineering

| distance =

| est = 1933

| record =

| homepage = [http://trofeomezzalama.org Trofeo Mezzalama]

}}

The Mezzalama Trophy ({{langx|it|Trofeo Mezzalama}}, {{langx|fr|Trophée Mezzalama}}, a.k.a. white marathon[http://www.newspower.it/comunicati/Aosta/CartellaStampa/texts/Mezzalama/cronologia.doc Le tappe dealla leggendaria "maratona bianca"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722043558/http://www.newspower.it/comunicati/Aosta/CartellaStampa/texts/Mezzalama/cronologia.doc |date=2011-07-22 }} (Italian)) is an Italian high altitude ski mountaineering competition in upper Valtournenche and Ayas valleys, in Aosta Valley.

The Mezzalama Trophy, which belongs to the "big three of ski mountaineering" ({{langx|fr|les grandes trois de ski de montagne}}) besides the two other best-known and classical ski mountaineering events, the Patrouille des Glaciers and the Pierra Menta, is the highest alpine ski mountaineering competition of the world. The event in the Monte Rosa's massif was named in honor of the mountain guide Ottorino Mezzalama.[https://web.archive.org/web/20240222200955/http://www.mountains2b.com/210-Trofeo_Mezzalama_2007_16_Auflage_des_Klassikers_-,e_58616,r_6961.htm Trofeo Mezzalama 2007: 16. Auflage des Klassikers am 29. April] (German), M2b, April 26, 2007.

The Mezzalama Trophy is a stage of La Grande Course that includes the most important ski mountaineering competitions of the season.

History

The Mezzalama Trophy Foundation was founded by friends of Ottorino Mezzalama in 1933 in his memory,{{Cite web |url=http://www.euroski-on-line.com/presto.htm |title=Presentation |access-date=2009-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006175323/http://www.euroski-on-line.com/presto.htm |archive-date=2008-10-06 |url-status=dead }} one of them was Mario Corti. The race was held every year from 1933 and to 1938. Entry was open only to men; the first female participant is presumed to be Paula Wiesinger, who had been invited to view the race in 1935. When Giusto Gervasutti withdrew due to injury, she put on his military uniform and cap and, wearing sunglasses, ran instead of him, but was discovered at a checkpoint.[http://www.fembio.org/biographie.php/frau/biographie/paula-wiesinger/ Paula Wiesinger] (German), FemBio. The 1935 Trofeo Mezzalama was filmed by Mario Craveri in his film "Maratona Bianca".[http://www.lastampa.it/_web/cmstp/tmplrubriche/montagna/grubrica.asp?ID_blog=68&ID_articolo=978&ID_sezione=135&sezione= Trofeo Mezzalama, il fascino di una leggenda che si rinnova] (Italian), La Stampa, April 15, 2009.

After 1938 the race was discontinued (except that in 1940 a platonic race was carried out under the name marcia nazionale Ottorino Mezzalama by the Ski Club Torino). Further races were held in 1971, 1973, 1975, and in 1978,[http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/public/depliants/mezzalama2007.pdf La rinascita degli anni Settanta] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728131636/http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/public/depliants/mezzalama2007.pdf |date=2011-07-28 }} (Italian), p. 4. and the Mezzalama Trophy was revived as a regular biennial race with the eleventh race in 1997.{{cite web |url=http://www.regione.vda.it/turismo/per_documentarsi/pagina_ricerche_e.asp?tipo=scheda&pk=27112&nomesch=sch_eventi&ts=evento&strTitoloVit=Trofeo+Mezzalama |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216190802/http://www.newspower.it/comunicati/Aosta/CartellaStampa/texts/Mezzalama/cronologia.doc|title=Trofeo Mezzalama (Mezzalama Trophy) |publisher=NEWSPOWER Trento |archive-date=2012-02-16 |access-date=2016-05-31 |url-status=live}}

File:Cervinia01.jpg (starting point)]]

In 1975, the Mezzalama Trophy was held as World Championship of Skimountaineering. 33 civilian teams, 12 mountain guide teams and 11 military teams participated in this event.[http://www.planetmountain.com/News/2005/04/Mezzalamacronologia.pdf Le tappe della leggendaria “maratona bianca”] (Italian). In that year, the first female team competed officially.Giuseppe Martelli: [http://www.webalice.it/giulorma/mezzalama_ottorino.htm altre notizie degli alpini bolognesi romagnoli] (Italian), November 15, 2005. Together with the Pierra Menta and the Tour du Rutor event, the Mezzalama Trophy is part of the Trophée des Alpes (French for Alps' Trophy) series.

Editions and winners

The list shows the winning teams for each edition of the Trofeo Mezzalama.

In 1934, all competing teams were overtaken by the German reserve racer Anderl Heckmair, who started as a single racer one and a half hours after the teams left.[http://cms.alpenverein.de/download_file.php?id=298&showfile=1 Trofeo Mezzalama - Ein Hochgebirgswettlauf der Sonderklasse] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007005851/http://cms.alpenverein.de/download_file.php?id=298&showfile=1 |date=2011-10-07 }} (German), p. 44.

class="wikitable"

! Edition

! Date

! Ranking

! colspan="3" | Male teams

! colspan="3" | Female teams

1st

| May 28, 1933[http://www.ferrino.it/upload.2009/site/Pdf/mezzalama-storia-1933-2007.pdf Rielaborazione storia libro Camisasca] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219115358/http://www.ferrino.it/upload.2009/site/Pdf/mezzalama-storia-1933-2007.pdf |date=2012-02-19 }}

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Luigi Carrel

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Antonio Gaspard

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Piero Maquignaz

|

|

|

2nd

| May 19, 1934[http://www.portfolio.planetmountain.com/portfolio/news/slide/slideeng.lasso?idnews=34&image=2 The winners of the 1934 edition], planetmountain.com.

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Alberto Chenoz

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Francesco Chenoz

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Bartolomeo Carrel

|

|

|

3rd

| May 26, 1935{{cite web|url=http://www.asiva.it/CentroAddestramentoAlpino_1_0_158.aspx |title=Centro Addestramento Alpino ::: ASIVA |access-date=2012-03-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111024174943/http://www.asiva.it/CentroAddestramentoAlpino_1_0_158.aspx |archive-date=2011-10-24 }}

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Cap. Enrico Silvestri

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Serg. Carlo Ronc

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Alp. Attilio Chenoz

|

|

|

4th

| June 13, 1936

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Ten. Francesco Vida

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Serg. Carlo Ronc

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Serg. Luigi Perenni

|

|

|

5th

| June 19, 1937

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Ten. Giuseppe Fabre

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Serg. Luigi Perenni

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Alp. Anselmo Viviani

|

|

|

6th

| June 11, 1938[http://www.fondoitalia.it/personaggi/Compagnoni_Fratelli.html Compagnoni Aristide, Severino e Ottavio] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621040615/http://www.fondoitalia.it/personaggi/Compagnoni_Fratelli.html |date=2010-06-21 }} (Italian).

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Aristide Compagnoni

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Severino Confortola

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Silvio Confortola

|

|

|

7th

| September 11, 1971http://www.webalice.it/giulorma/mezzalama_ottorino.htm

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Gianfranco Stella

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Aldo Stella

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Roberto Stella

|

|

|

8th

| June 1, 1973[http://www.fondoitalia.it/personaggi/Stella_Gianfranco.html Gianfranco Stella] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722034509/http://www.fondoitalia.it/personaggi/Stella_Gianfranco.html |date=2011-07-22 }}

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Gianfranco Stella

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Aldo Stella

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Palmiro Serafini

|

|

|

rowspan="6" colspan="2" | 1st World Championship
9th edition on May 10, 1975[https://web.archive.org/web/20170809172431/http://www.old.inalto.org/magazine/trofeo_mezzalama_2005_04.shtml Albo d'oro][http://www.fondoitalia.it/personaggi/Genuin_Angelo.html Genuin Angelo] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722033827/http://www.fondoitalia.it/personaggi/Genuin_Angelo.html |date=2011-07-22 }}

! colspan="7" | Category: "civilian teams"

bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Renzo Meynet

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Osvaldo Ronc

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Mirko Stangalino

|

|

|

colspan="7" | Category: "military teams"
bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Angelo Genuin

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Bruno Bonaldi

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Luigi "Gigi" Weiss

|

|

|

colspan="7" | Category: "mountain guide teams"
bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Oreste Squinobal

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Arturo Squinobal

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Lorenzo Squinobal

|

|

|

rowspan="6" | 10th

| rowspan="6" | April 29, 1978

! colspan="7" | Category: "civilian teams"

bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Austria}} Rudolf Kapeller

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Austria}} Karl Sinzinger

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Austria}} Josef Hones

|

|

|

colspan="7" | Category: "military teams"
bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Mario Varesco

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Fabio Cavagnet

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Elvio Venturini

|

|

|

colspan="7" | Category: "mountain guide teams"
bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Arturo Squinobal

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Lorenzo Squinobal

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Danilo Barell

|

|

|

11th

| 1997[http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/1997/maggio/04/Cavalcata_leggenda_Trionfo_Skyrunners_ga_0_970504362.shtml Cavalcata da leggenda Trionfo da Skyrunners], May 4, 1997.

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Fabio Meraldi

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Enrico Pedrini

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Omar Oprandi

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Bice Bones

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Brunella Parolini

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Fabiana Battel

12th

| 1999[http://archiviostorico.gazzetta.it/1999/aprile/25/Forestale_record_trionfa_nel_Mezzalama_ga_0_990425626.shtml La Forestale da record trionfa nel Mezzalama] (Italian), April 25, 1999.

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Fulvio Mazzocchi

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Leonardo Follis

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Luciano Fontana

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Gloriana Pellissier

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|France}} Danielle Hacquard

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|France}} Véronique Lathuraz

13th

| 2001[http://www.newspower.it/comunicati/Mezzalama/AlbodoroMezzalama.rtf Men's best three and best women since 1997] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722043542/http://www.newspower.it/comunicati/Mezzalama/AlbodoroMezzalama.rtf |date=2011-07-22 }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/Trofeo%20Mezzalama/Mezzalama2001.pdf |title=2001 Trofeo Mezzalama |access-date=2009-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110409083613/http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/Trofeo%20Mezzalama/Mezzalama2001.pdf |archive-date=2011-04-09 |url-status=dead }}

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Graziano Boscacci

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Ivan Murada

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Heinz Blatter

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Gloriana Pellissier

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Arianna Follis

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Alexia Zuberer

14th

| 2003{{Cite web |url=http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/Trofeo%20Mezzalama/Mezzalama2003.pdf |title=2003 Trofeo Mezzalama |access-date=2009-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110409082605/http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/Trofeo%20Mezzalama/Mezzalama2003.pdf |archive-date=2011-04-09 |url-status=dead }}

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Damien Farquet

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Rico Elmer

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Rolf Zurbrügg

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Cristina Favre-Moretti

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Arianna Follis

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Chiara Raso

15th

| 2005[https://web.archive.org/web/20110409083654/http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/Trofeo%20Mezzalama/Mezzalama2005.pdf 2005 Trofeo Mezzalama]

! bgcolor="gold" | File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|France}} Stéphane Brosse

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|France}} Patrick Blanc

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Guido Giacomelli

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Gloriana Pellissier

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Christiane Nex

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Natascia Leonardi Cortesi

16th

| 2007[https://web.archive.org/web/20110409083339/http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/Trofeo%20Mezzalama/Mezzalama2007.pdf 2007 Trofeo Mezzalama]

! bgcolor="gold" |File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Guido Giacomelli

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Jean Pellissier

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Florent Troillet

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Gloriana Pellissier

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Roberta Pedranzini

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Francesca Martinelli

17th

| 2009[http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/mezzalama_i.asp 2009 Trofeo Mezzalama]

! bgcolor="gold" |File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Manfred Reichegger

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Matteo Eydallin

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Denis Trento

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Francesca Martinelli

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Roberta Pedranzini

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|France}} Laëtitia Roux

18th

| 2011[http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/Trofeo%20Mezzalama/Mezzalama2011-uomini.pdf 2011 Trofeo Mezzalama - men results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227081335/http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/Trofeo%20Mezzalama/Mezzalama2011-uomini.pdf |date=2012-02-27 }}[https://web.archive.org/web/20110515155409/http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/Trofeo%20Mezzalama/Mezzalama2011-donne.pdf 2011 Trofeo Mezzalama - women results]

! bgcolor="gold" |File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Spain}} Kilian Jornet Burgada

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|France}} William Bon Mardion

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|France}} Didier Blanc

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Francesca Martinelli

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Roberta Pedranzini

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Gloriana Pellissier

19th

| 2013[http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/XIX_Trofeo_Mezzalama_Classifica_Maschile.pdf 2013 Trofeo Mezzalama - men results][http://www.trofeomezzalama.org/classifiche/XIX_Trofeo_Mezzalama_Classifica_Femminile.pdf 2013 Trofeo Mezzalama - women results]

! bgcolor="gold" |File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Manfred Reichegger

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Damiano Lenzi

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Matteo Eydallin

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Laura Besseghini

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Raffaella Rossi

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Elena Nicolini

20th

| 2015{{cite web |url=http://grandecourse.infoedro.net/classifiche/classifica_live_mezzalama_2015_F.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626114318/http://grandecourse.infoedro.net/classifiche/classifica_live_mezzalama_2015_F.html |title=Classifica Trofeo Mezzalama 2015 Femminile - Women |publisher=La Grande Course |archive-date=2015-06-26 |access-date=2016-05-31 |url-status=live}}

! bgcolor="gold" |File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Matteo Eydallin

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Michele Boscacci

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Damiano Lenzi

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Sweden}} Emelie Forsberg

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|France}} Axelle Mollaret

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Jennifer Fiechter

21st

| 2017{{cite web |url=http://grandecourse.infoedro.net/classifiche/classifica_live_XXI_Mezzalama_2017_M.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611141304/http://grandecourse.infoedro.net/classifiche/classifica_live_XXI_Mezzalama_2017_M.html |title=Classifica XXI Trofeo Mezzalama 2017 Maschile - Men |publisher=La Grande Course |date=2017-04-22 |archive-date=2017-06-11 |access-date=2017-06-11 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://grandecourse.infoedro.net/classifiche/classifica_live_XXI_Mezzalama_2017_F.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611141203/http://grandecourse.infoedro.net/classifiche/classifica_live_XXI_Mezzalama_2017_F.html |title=Classifica XXI Trofeo Mezzalama 2017 Femminile - Women |publisher=La Grande Course |date=2017-04-22 |archive-date=2017-06-11 |access-date=2017-06-11 |url-status=live}}

! bgcolor="gold" |File:Med 1.png

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Matteo Eydallin

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Michele Boscacci

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Italy}} Damiano Lenzi

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Sweden}} Emelie Forsberg

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|France}} Laetitia Roux

| bgcolor="#F7F6A8" |{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Jennifer Fiechter

Literature

  • Umberto Pelazza, Antonio Vizzi: Il Trofeo Mezzalama 1933-1997 : Storia e leggenda della sci-alpinistica piu alta del mondo (Italian) (Aosta) - ed. La Vallee, 1999
  • Rolf Majcen: Bergauf - Abenteuer Ausdauersport (German) {{ISBN|978-3-900533-39-7}}

References

{{reflist|3}}