Hoka Test & Talk with Giovanna Selva and Pietro Arese
Hoka Test & Talk: an afternoon of testing and talking with Giovanna Selva and Pietro Arese
An atmosphere that vibrated with energy and passion during the last event in the series of events organized by
Hoka
ahead of the long-awaited Stramilano 2024. The brand, known for its excellence in the development of performance footwear, has consolidated its position in the running world by establishing itself this year as the technical sponsor of the competition, attracting the attention of runners and running enthusiasts from all over the country.
These are the words of Maria Colombo, Head of Marketing Hoka: “We conceived our participation in the Stramilano not simply as a sponsor, but as a true partner. This led us to develop a co-branding action between our company, Hoka, and the Stramilano, with the aim of enhancing the city of Milan and making it the protagonist. The intent was to be inclusive, reaching a variety of accounts and, consequently, diverse consumers, to demolish an entrenched myth: the mistaken belief that Milan is not suitable for running. On the contrary, the statistics speak for themselves: Milan stands out as the Italian city with the highest number of routes registered on Strava. Bolstered by this awareness, we kicked off, as early as last Sunday, a series of initiatives aimed at involving a broad spectrum of enthusiasts, residents of Milan or the hinterland. These events, varied in their offerings and approach, will culminate in joint participation in next Sunday’s Stramilano, thus celebrating the community spirit and passion for running that animate the city.”
The event was notable for the unique opportunity for attendees to test the new Mach 6, Hoka’s latest, which promises to redefine the boundaries of performance with its innovative technology and cutting-edge design. The Mach 6 proved to be a true triumph of engineering, with its perfect balance of light weight, cushioning and responsiveness, making it the ideal choice for athletes who aim to push their limits.
Giovanna Selva and Pietro Arese
The highlight of the event was an exclusive interview with two icons of the athletics world and Hoka brand ambassadors: Pietro Arese and Giovanna Selva. Their presence added invaluable value to the meeting, providing inspiration and valuable advice to all participants. Arese, with his charisma and successful experiences in international competitions, shared his training philosophy and the importance of perseverance and dedication. Selva, for his part, captivated the auditorium with tales of his challenges and victories, highlighting how the right mindset mentality is the secret ingredient to achieving ambitious goals.
Giovanna Selva, who will run the Stramilano, earned her first national selection in mountain running in 2019 and was part of the junior team that won gold at the World Championships. Pietro Arese, Italian middle distance runner and steeplechaser, holder of the second all-time Italian performance in the 1,500-meter flat with a time of 3:33″11, at the World Championships in Budapest 2023. There are already many successes in his bulletin board, but his gaze is all for the future.
We were also able to have a word with Giovanna and Pietro, so here is an excerpt from their interview.
On Sunday you will run the Stramilano and for the second time in your career you will run this distance.
How are you coming to the race and what are the expectations?
I arrive quite calm, I would like to handle it well, it’s a completely different long race than usual and so my idea is just to run, to live every meter and get into the flow. In my opinion it’s very important in such a long race to almost forget about everything else, forget about the stopwatch, the kilometers but just run, just run until at some point you wake up and say oh I have two kilometers left, I’m there, and then you give everything on the finish.
Two big events await you in the coming months: the European Championships in Rome and the Olympic dream.
How are you preparing?
Beyond the physical preparation and training, I am really getting ready to give battle. I believe it, I believe it so much, especially because I lost a medal at last year’s Europeans by 14 hundredths and I lost a world final by 12 hundredths last year. So this year at the Europeans and the Olympics I have to make up for both. This is definitely the time to go and catch these goals with the advantage and motivation of playing at home.
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