Monte Zerbion Skyrace is preparing for another sold-out edition. On Saturday, 18 May, more than 600 athletes and sportsmen of all ages will gather for the third edition of the international event that combines sport and tradition and that was presented this afternoon (Tuesday) inside the suggestive Forte di Bard. 

The list of the top runners who will wear a bib in one of the four competitive races that will be run on the Zerbion trail, the daily training ground of Bruno Brunod, Dennis Brunod and the late Jean Pellissier, the three testimonials who conceived the event together with the energetic Montagnesprit team, is now almost defined. 

In the 22-kilometre skyrace, a round of the Crazy Skyrunning Italy Cup Fisky, there will be a change from ski mountaineering specialists to mountain running specialists. The versatile Nadir Maguet, last year’s winner, will challenge William Boffelli, Cristian Minoggio, Daniel Antonioli, Sergio Bonaldi, Gianluca Ghiano, Ahmed El Mazoury, Danilo Brambilla and François Cazzanelli; in the women’s field, the American (French by adoption) Hillary Gerardi is one of the main favourites, but will have to check the attacks of Martina Cumerlato, Chiara Giovando, Melissa Paganelli, Noémie Grandjean and Roberta Jacquin. The best youngster in the MZS22 will be awarded the trophy named in memory of Victor Vicquéry, a teacher and sportsman who tragically passed away at the beginning of 2023.

Many interesting names also in the 9.5 kilometre (vertical) race, which for the first time has been included in the prestigious international circuit VK Open Championships (fourth stage) and which will award a special prize in memory of Jean Pellissier, a great champion and one of the founders of Monte Zerbion Skyrace. In the men’s race, a close confrontation is expected between the Russian Aleksei Pagnuev (bronze medallist at the skysnow world championships) and the Italian Marcello Ugazio (record-holder in the FKT), with Werner Marti, Alex Oberbacher, Julien Michelon, Martin Zhor, Alex Déjanaz, Cédric Christille and Henri Grosjacques ready to make their way into the top positions. 

Among the women, the presence of Swiss Maude Mathys, recently back on the top step of the podium of the Golden Trail World Series, a circuit she has already won on two occasions, is expected. At her side will be the Brazilian Linabel Iramaia Pimentel Araújo and the Italians Emilie Collomb, Michela Comola and Camilla Magliano.

In the shorter skyrace (18 kilometres), with a turnaround in the Francou alpine pasture area, Manuel Bosini, Joseph Philippot, Jean-Xavier Villanese and Simone Dalle from Valle d’Aosta are expected to take part. Here too, a special prize will be reserved for the best youngster. Finally, in the 5.5-kilometre vertical, the presence of Gloriana Pellissier is confirmed. This race can be run by everyone, including young people (Italian Cup trial) and the disabled.

As a side dish to the four races there will always be the Randò enogastronomic, for those who want to walk and discover the most hidden corners of Châtillon, without giving up the tasting of typical Aosta Valley products, and the two Baby Skyrace, the first of 500 metres for the under 8s and the second of 1 kilometre for the under 11s. For the youth races, which are always much appreciated, the organisers have decided to anticipate the registrations and rely on the wedosport.net portal to streamline the operations. Participation remains free of charge.

Monte Zerbion Skyrace and Vertical has, however, since the first edition, also been a great party, which starts along the trails, with music and mordùa, and ends in the finish area with the party organised by Dea Service, immediately after the rich prize-giving ceremony. 

News regarding the media coverage of the event, with a new live streaming curated by Beelab, visible on the Youtube channel and on the homepage of the website montezerbionskyrace.com. Eight operators will be engaged in order not to miss anything of the third edition of Monte Zerbion Skyrace. And then again live radio broadcast on Radio Proposta, in collaboration with the envoys of the broadcaster and the journalists of Gazzetta Matin. A team that will be added to the organisation’s extended team.

The event is organised by Montagnesprit, with the involvement of over 200 volunteers and the support of the Autonomous Region of Valle d’Aosta and the municipality of Châtillon, as well as numerous private partners. The MDM company from Châtillon, specialised in cold forging equipment, is the title sponsor of the event.