The training of top athletes and amateur in the mountains is keep going.
On October 23rd will be ready the first cross-country ring thanks to snowfarming.
On December 4th the appointment is with the Sgambeda, 35 km in skating.
17 nations are already represented, with a maximum of 500 subscribed.

Livigno is still all “green” in the mere meaning of the word. Green because the colour of woods and meadows reigns over the Piccolo Tibet, “green” because there is a great attention to nature and environmental protection. 

The last snowfall of the year was on 19 April, a sprinkling of two centimetres, but now the peaks around Livigno have started to turn white, a sign that we are slowly approaching the ski season. Waiting for the abundant natural snow, in order to complete the long track that distinguishes the “Nordic” Livigno, as usual a ring for cross-country skiing will be set up soon. In fact, in Livigno, thanks to snowfarming, it is possible to anticipate the natural flakes with the use of about 80,000 cubic metres of snow stored in spring under a special geothermal sheet, protected by sawdust insulation. The ring will be accessible on October 23rd.

Livigno is also a training ground in the pre season for many champions and amateurs, because the preparation in high altitude improves the physical condition in view of the performances on the narrow skis. At the end of August, for example, the Norwegian national cross-country team led by Klaebo and Johaug trained in Livigno, using the cycle path and the trails of the resort. Last week also the women’s national team went on a training camp under the “orders” of coach Renato Pasini, with intense sessions with rollerskis and at the Aquagranda sports centre.

Talking about events, the date to mark in the calendar is December 4th with the first Italian cross-country skiing event, the 31st edition of the Sgambeda, which in fact opens the fourth decade of its history, years that have also written the history of Italian cross-country skiing.

Registrations for the race have just opened and already reached 200 subscriptions, with foreign cross-country skiers in particular eager to grab one of the 500 race-bibs available. For this edition, considering that the anti-Covid rules for ski events are not yet clear and definitive, the organising committee wanted to set a ceiling of 500 participants. Along with the Italians on the entry list are athletes from Holland, Norway, Switzerland, Poland, Canada, Germany, the Czech Republic, the United States, France, Russia, Slovakia, Finland, Hungary, Sweden, Austria and Belgium.
The race is scheduled over the distance of 35 km in free technique, with the traditional track starting from the cross-country centre that runs past Livigno.

With the pandemic that forced many cross-country skiers to inactivity last season, the date of 4 December promises to be the first event of the season not to be missed. The opportunity to train well in advance, taking advantage of Livigno’s potential, is also an opportunity to spend a few relaxing days in the centre of Valtellina.

For the Sgambeda there is no time to waste. The ceiling of the 500 subscribers remains binding and until 31 October the adhesion fee is fixed at 50 euro, while from the first of November to the first of December the fee rises to 60 euro. If the race is cancelled, which is important, the organisers will refund the entire amount paid. As if to say: “Those who have time don’t wait for time!”

Info: www.lasgambeda.it