Record number of participants at the Vth Tris Rotondo in Val Bedretto, San Gothard

To date circa 500 athletes have registed to participate in the Tris Rotondo ski mountaineering competition and about half of these will tackle the long Super Tris race course. Due to lack of snow in some gullies at altitude and poor conditions on the lower descent of Pizzo Pesciora, the organisation has decided to modify the original track and has combined the two slopes of the Bedretto valley.

Super and Main Tris will ascend to the Fiamma gully (see the photo) at almost 2800m (220m elevation gain, slope angle circa 45°), descend to the valley floor and subsequently ascend the righthand side of Val Bedretto along Valletta Cavagnoli. After another gully and crest, raced on foot, the Main Tris athletes continue into Val Piana for the final descent, while the Super Tris competitors head to capanna Cristallina to then descend Val Cassinello. Short Tris, Cadets and the snowshoe racers will follow a course set between Val Cavagnoli and Val Piana.

Despite these changes, the alpine character of this Tris Rotondo has been maintained and all course are similar in both length and beauty to the original courses. Large sections on the right-hand side of Val Bedretto have already been used during the 2008 World Cup.

The elevation gains are as follows: 3430m (Super), 2370m (Main), 1240m (Short), 905m (Cadets) and 1040m (Ciaspole snowshoes). The only course with a slightly diminished elevation gain (despite being slightly longer) is the Short Tris. The snowshoeing track has certainly been rendered more interesting than the original version and participants will now enter two magnificent side valleys and ascend up to circa 2400m.

Circa 25 cm of fresh snow has fallen recently and the weather forecast is decidedly good: warm temperatures and sunshine will provide an ulterior "magic touch" to this edition which, on the eve, promises to be exciting and spectacular.

Registration is still possible for all categories on Saturday from 14:00 - 18:00 and on Sunday from 04:00 to 07:30. The event is not to be missed: spectacular race course, perfect organisation and... plenty of sun...

Registration: www.trisrotondo.ch/iscrizione
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Tris-Rotondo
Official website: www.trisrotondo.ch