Trofeo Alasport
DateMarch
LocationAlà dei Sardi, Italy Italy
Event typeCross country
Distance11 kilometres (6.8 mi) for men
5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) for women
Established1973
Official siteAlasport

The Trofeo Alasport, also known as the Cross di Alà dei Sardi, is an annual cross country running competition which takes place in March in Alà dei Sardi on the Italian island of Sardinia. Unusually for a high-profile cross country event, it has often been held after the IAAF World Cross Country Championships which occurs in late March. The Trofeo Alasport is traditionally the final event of the cross country season in Italy.[1]

The competition was initiated in 1973 by a local athletics enthusiast, Antonello Baltolu, and has been held on an annual basis since then by the local sports association, the Società Sportiva Alasport.[2][3] It is one of the foremost competitions of its type in Italy, alongside the Cinque Mulini, and attracts international competitors of the highest calibre. Former winners of the event include numerous world cross country champions, such as Paul Tergat, John Ngugi, Kenenisa Bekele and Khalid Skah in the men's race, while Albertina Dias, Gete Wami and Jackline Maranga have won on the women's side.[4]

The men's elite race is held over roughly 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) while the women's competition is half that distance at around 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi). The Trofeo Alasport began as a domestic event but quickly took on an international nature, with British Olympian John Bicourt becoming the first foreign winner at the fourth edition. Belgium's Léon Schots was the first world champion to take victory in Alà dei Sardi in 1983. African names came to dominate the winner's lists from the 1990s onwards, with Susan Sirma of Kenya ushering in the change with back-to-back victories in 1991 and 1992.[5] In addition to these elite level races, amateur competitions are also featured on the programme of the day's events, as well as number of shorter youth-level races.[6]

The competition has been held every year with the exceptions of 1980 and a brief suspension of the event between 2005 and 2007.[5] Since 1986, the Trofeo Alasport has also been designated as the Trofeo Presidente della Repubblica, an honorific in recognition from the President of Italy.[6]

Past elite race winners

Bogusław Mamiński is a two-time race winner.
Kenenisa Bekele won in Alà dei Sardi in 2003 after winning a world cross country double
Imane Merga won in 2011 a few days after becoming the world champion.
Edition Year Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s)
1st 1973  Vincenzo Chessa (ITA) ?  Caterina Corrò (ITA) ?
2nd 1974  Giovanni Flore (ITA) ?  Luisa Marci (ITA) ?
3rd 1975  Luigi Zarcone (ITA) ?  Margherita Gargano (ITA) ?
4th 1976  John Bicourt (GBR) ?  Cristina Tomasini (ITA) ?
5th 1977  Luigi Zarcone (ITA) ?  Margherita Gargano (ITA) ?
6th 1978  Franco Fava (ITA) 30:55.4  Margherita Gargano (ITA) 11:17.7
7th 1979  Bronisław Malinowski (POL) 31:02.0  Gabriella Dorio (ITA) 11:05.4
— 1980 Not held
8th 1981  Bogusław Mamiński (POL) 29:55.3  Cristina Tomasini (ITA) 11:10.4
9th 1982  Venanzio Ortis (ITA) ?  Cristina Tomasini (ITA) ?
10th 1983  Léon Schots (BEL) 32:14.1  Cristina Tomasini (ITA) 11:54.1
11th 1984  Gerard Helme (GBR) 34:14.8  Alba Milana (ITA) 15:07.0
12th 1985  Bogusław Psujek (POL) ?  Kathy Carter-Binns (GBR) ?
13th 1986  Bogusław Mamiński (POL) ?  Cristina Tomasini (ITA) ?
14th 1987  Franco Boffi (ITA) ?  Jane Shields (GBR) ?
15th 1988  Eamonn Martin (GBR) 32:44.9  Angela Tooby (GBR) 14:43.5
16th 1989  Gary Staines (GBR) 32:37.1  Yvonne Murray (GBR) 14:23.0
17th 1990  Francesco Panetta (ITA) 31:15  Jeanne-Marie Pipoz (SUI) 13:45
18th 1991  Arturo Barrios (MEX) 31:15.0  Susan Sirma (KEN) 13:33.5
19th 1992  John Ngugi (KEN) 30:43.7  Susan Sirma (KEN) 13:48.7
20th 1993  Fita Bayisa (ETH) 30:24.9  Rosanna Munerotto (ITA) 16:58.1
21st 1994  Salah Hissou (MAR) 30:23.7  Albertina Dias (POR) 17:26.6
22nd 1995  Fita Bayisa (ETH) 30:28  Albertina Dias (POR) 17:18
23rd 1996  Khalid Skah (MAR) 32:26  Lidia Camberg (POL) 18:38
24th 1997  Salah Hissou (MAR) 30:57.8  Tegla Loroupe (KEN) 17:23.4
25th 1998  Paul Tergat (KEN) 32:25  Jackline Maranga (KEN) 18:14
26th 1999  Paul Kosgei (KEN) 30:39  Sarah Kavina (TAN) 18:02
27th 2000  Paul Kosgei (KEN) 30:19.6  Merima Denboba (ETH) 17:11.2
28th 2001  Paul Kosgei (KEN) 31:36.8  Gete Wami (ETH) 17:13.2
29th 2002  Richard Limo (KEN) 29:53.1  Merima Denboba (ETH) 16:53.2
30th 2003  Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 31:55.9  Merima Denboba (ETH) 18:22.0
31st 2004  Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 31:57  Meselech Melkamu (ETH) 18:03
Race not held 2005–2007
32nd 2008  Tariku Bekele (ETH) 32:05  Mestawet Tufa (ETH) 17:49
33rd 2009  Moses Mosop (KEN) 31:59.4  Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 17:33.5
34th 2010  Zersenay Tadese (ERI) 31:38  Sule Utura (ETH) 18:03
35th 2011  Imane Merga (ETH) 32:11  Sylvia Kibet (KEN) 18:02
36th 2012  John Kipkoech (KEN) 32:11  Priscah Cherono (KEN) 17:56

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sampaolo, Diego (2009-04-06). Mosop and Kiplagat keep Sardinia success in the family. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
  2. ↑ Sampaolo, Diego (2011-03-28). Another cross country win for World champion Merga - Alà dei Sardi report. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
  3. ↑ Atletica: cross, parata di campioni ad Alà dei Sardi Archived 2012-09-14 at archive.today (in Italian). L'Unione Sarda. Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
  4. ↑ Sampaolo, Diego (2008-04-07). Bekele and Tufa take xc wins in Sardinia. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
  5. 1 2 Civai, Franco (2010-03-16). Cross di Alà dei Sardi. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
  6. 1 2 Ala' dei Sardi - 35° Trofeo Alasport - Manifestazione Internazionale di Corsa Campestre (in Italian). Gallura In Tasca. Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
List of winners
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