15th Mezzalama
On 21/04 the mythical 15° Trofeo Mezzalama ski mountaineering competition takes place on Monte Rosa. The start is Breuil Cervinia and the finish is at Gressoney La Trinité.
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 The Trofeo Mezzalama, which is considered the most prestigious ski mountaineering race in the world was first run in 1933 and has been held fourteen times. The modern version was established in 1997 and now it is held once every two years, crossing the glaciers and summits on the Val d’Aosta aspect of the Monte Rosa, reaching altitudes greater than 13,500’. The XV Trofeo Mezzalama will begin on Thursday April 21st 2005. In case of bad weather, the race will be postponed to April 22nd. The race departs from the ski slopes of Cervinia (2020m) and arrives in Gressoney La Trinité (1637m), after passing through the Col du Breithorn (3826m), the summit of the Castor (4226m), and the Passo del Naso of the Lyskamm (4100m). The total elevation gain during the event is 2862m, with descent totalling 3145m, across 45km of horizontal distance. The “mutants” (racers on the World Cup ski mountaineering circuit) will finish in less than 5 hours. The current record is held buy the Swiss team of Farquet, Rico, and Zurbrugg, who completed the race of 2003 in 4h 38’ 5”. In fourteen editions they were the first non-Italian team to win the race.  The race is undertaken as a team of three. In 2003, 244 teams (of which 11 were composed of women) made a total of 732 participants. To avoid over-crowding on the steep, high altitude sections of the course, the 2005 edition will introduce two separate departure times. Further down-selection occurs via established time limits. The first, at the Breithorn Col must be reached in less than 2:30, and the second, on the Felik Glacier must be reached within 5:30 or the team will be disqualified and not permitted to finish the race. Female teams are allowed an extra 15 minutes at each gate. The mandatory equipment includes, for each athlete, metal-edged touring skis with a minimum length of 160cm - cross country skis have been forbidden since 2001 -, boots adequate for the high altitude with Vibram sole, crampons, harness, avalanche beacon and high altitude clothing. In 2003, the strong north wind caused frostnip to the left ears of many athletes who did not stop to put on hats. Each team must also carry an ice axe and a 20 meters rope. Elastic systems (to maintain tension on the rope) are expressly forbidden. This clever trick was tolerated until the last edition of the race (see photos at www.trofeomezzalama.org). “If we use a rope” says Adriano Favre, “and I don’t see how we could do without it for a race occurring on mostly glacial terrain, we have to respect all the rules of its use, as mountaineers do.” The origins 1931, 23 February Ottorino Mezzalama, ski mountaineering pioneer, dies in an avalanche in the Breonie Alps. 1933, 28 May (1st edition) To commorate the sporting ideals of Mezzalama, the Club Alpino Accademico Italiano, the Cai Torino and the Ski Club Torino, con l’aiuto del quotidiano La Stampa, organised a "extreme" competition on Monte Rosa. 14 teams took part in the competition, halted half way through due to bad weather. It was won by the Valtournenche guides, who beat their Zermatt colleagues just before the finishing line.
Photos: the start in 2003 (ph Giulio Malfer). Below: Historical photo. Right: the 2003 edition (archive Trofeo Mezzalama) |
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