Adamello Ultra Trail
Scarpa confirms itself as main partner of Adamello Ultra Trail and aims to win the trial with Simon Roberts.
Less than a decade separates the return of the Adamello Ultra Trail on the Great War Walkways. From September 22-24, the ninth edition of the Adamello Ultra Trail will take place, the third consecutive edition alongside Scarpa, the world’s leading Italian brand of mountain footwear. Once again this year, the brand Scarpa will accompany athletes and female athletes on the trails of the Pontedilegno-Tonale area.
Launched in 2021, the collaboration between AUT and SCARPA was strengthened the following year when the organization hosted a number of international ambassadors of the brand to conduct a reconnaissance of the 100-km and 170-km routes. These include Spaniard Antonio Martínez Pérez and Portugal’s André Rodrigues, along with Brescians-born or adopted Emanuele Manzi, Davide Bottarelli and Damiano Pedretti. At the level of results, moreover, came the victories of Francesca Crippa e Alessandra Olivi, in the (then) 90 km and 170 km, respectively.
“For us, this three-year period is definitely positive because we have grown together with the event” – began multiple mountain running world champion and Scarpa brand manager, Marco de Gasperi “We are talking about a very important area for us, in which our products have been well introduced for many years, making us practically a historic brand. And above all, when we talk about Adamello Ultra Trail we are talking about one of the most beautiful 100 miles in Italy.”
De Gasperi considers the changes introduced at the route level a step forward for the race’s international popularity: “I am convinced that the change of the intermediate race from 90 to 100 km will help attract more and more international runners. As for our athletes, this year we are betting heavily on Simon Roberts, one of the aces of the British trail running team, who will be engaged in the intermediate distance, for which we are convinced to present a good team in the women’s race as well.”
“We are very pleased with the collaboration with SCARPA, which we are confident of continuing in the future – commented Paolo Gregorini, leader of the organizing committee of ASD Adamello Ultra Trail – We are talking about a brand that is an Italian excellence recognized internationally for the quality of its products and for its attention to sustainability, a crucial issue for those who, like us, love nature and the mountains. Simon Roberts is a surely talented athlete: he will allow us to further raise the level of an already very competitive race.”
A palmares of first places for Welshman Simon Roberts
Simon Roberts, a 35-year-old Welsh athlete, was wearing national team colors when he participated in the 2021 Mountain Running Nations Cup. From there on, he established himself at the forefront of ultra distances, taking several first places. Just in 2021, he won the Montane Dragon’s Back Race (380 km and 17,400 meters of positive elevation gain crossing all of Wales from north to south). Only last 2022, however, he excelled at the Montane Winter Spine Race. (431 km and 13,300 meters of positive elevation gain in the middle of winter, from England to Scotland all along the Pennine Way).
“Simon is a rider who has in his palmarès prestigious victories,” De Gasperi analyzed, “with a great athletic ability given also by very hard races of more than 400 km in winter. He is now regaining his form after a period with some injuries, and it’s good that he specifically asked us to participate in this race, as it shows the international growth of the event.”
