Great historicity and international spirit: the perfect mix of past and future turns the 33rd edition into a cross-country skiing festival
Great success of public and participation in Livigno, for the edition number 33 of the BWT Sgambeda, which gave emotions from the beginning to the end, making unforgettable this last Sunday before the Christmas holidays. Numbers excellent and growing numbers compared to last year, with participants coming from every part of Europe and representing more than 100 teams, testifying to the fascination by the historicity of this event and the profound process of internationalisation, which has long characterised the events organised in the Livigno area.
France, Norway, Spain, Finland, Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and Switzerland are just some of the nationalities represented by this year’s bibs, for a true celebration of cross-country skiing, capable, thanks to its strong roots in the social fabric, its long tradition and the technical quality of the course, to bring together professionals of the discipline, amateurs from all latitudes and a latitude and a large representation of local athletes.
30 kilometres are planned for this 2023 edition, distributed along a route of rare naturalistic beauty, enhanced by numerous spectacular passages, designed ad hoc to make the most of the unspoilt nature surrounding Little Tibet, thus offering the athletes and the public, present along the entire route, snapshots worthy of a postcard or a landscape painter’s brush. The ideal setting to give also emphasise the good technical performance displayed by the participants.
Among the men, with a time of 01:06:06, the winner was Frenchman Gerard Agnellet, bib number 204, who broke the resistance of Italian Paolo Fanton, unfortunate protagonist of a broken pole, right at the climax. However, the challenge between the two, who were able to break away from the other members of the leading group, was exciting. leading group. Completing the podium was Daniele Serra, first among the pursuers, while the best of the Livigno athletes was, in the end, Saverio Zini.
Among the women, the triumph of the Polish Justyna Kowalczyk, a profound connoisseur of the course and a regular on the top step of the podium. With a time of 01:14:12, she crushed the competition, repeating last year’s victory, and confirming herself as an athlete of the highest level as certified by her five Olympic podiums in her career. With her on the final podium were Frenchwoman Emilie Bulle and German Sigrid Mutscheller, respectively one minute and 14 seconds and over two and a half minutes behind.
The event, inaugurated on Saturday by the MiniSgambeda, another appointment of conviviality and sporting event, was finally concluded by the pasta party in Plaza Placheda, a moment of celebration that best represents the spirit of the event. A strong point in Livigno’s philosophy, always happy to invest in sport as an instrument of social cohesion for the entire community. A vision that was also realised in the presence at the start of numerous local athletes, including the former Olympian Marianna Longa, and about ten amateurs who a dozen amateurs who have participated in every single edition since the event’s inception.
