XX Mezzalama legendary ski mountaineering Saturday 25 April

The big news this year is that the race course has been switched completely to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first ascent of the Matterhorn. The starting point on Saturday 25 April is Gressoney La Trinité while the arrival, this time, is located at Cervinia. In case of bad weather the competition can be postponed to the 1st of May.

As always Adriano Favre, the technical director of the competition, is coordinating teams of mountain guides currently preparing the race course. This involves placing poles along the entire route, including escape routes down into the valley in bad weather, and fixing ropes along the technical sections of the Lyskamm Nose and the West Face of Castor. Furthermore, support bivouacs placed at strategic points along the course are being positioned by helicopter.

Over three hundred teams are expected for the twentieth edition of the Trofeo Mezzalama; as always the teams are composed of groups of three athletes, roped together, to race across the Monte Rosa glaciers and peak along "the sky’s edge.” This year the regulation states that the more than 900 athletes must use steel crampons to ensure greater safety along the most demanding stretches that, at present, are frozen solid.

Ski lifts open early in the morning for those who wish to watch the event live up in the mountains: the lifts are free of charge and start at Gressoney at 4:00am, while at Cervinia they begin running at 6am. The date is set for 25 Aprile, for the next edition of this wonderful competition along the sky’s edge.

by Marco Spataro

ROUTE DESCRIPTION
Gressoney-La-Trinité 1,637m START lined up
Alpe Gabiet 2,342m
Orestes Hütte Hut 2,600m Optional replenishment
Mantova Hut 3,500m 1st time check and replenishment
Naso del Lyskamm 4,100m replenishment
Quintino Sella Hut on Felik 3,585m 2nd time check and replenishment
Castor 4,226m replenishment
Verra Pass 3,848m change of equipment change of equipment
Schwarz Tor 3,700mchange of equipment change of equipment
Colle del Breithorn 3,826m change of equipment change of equipment
Plateau Rosà 3,500m change of equipment change of equipment
Breuil-Cervinia 2,000m FINISH
Overall approximate distance: 45 km
Altitude differences uphill 3,430m; downhill 2,867m

GRESSONEY LA TRINITE'– Thursday 23 April 2015
Edelboden (Loc.) Multipurpose Room (next to the Punta Jolanda chairlift departure point)
15:00 – 17:00 Accreditation of athletes in the junior (Jeunes) competition: consignment of bibs and gadgets
18:00 Briefing for Mezzalama Jeunes competitors by Technical director Adriano Favre

GRESSONEY LA TRINITE'– Friday 24 April 2015
8:30 Meeting-point for athletes in junior race at the Stafal-Gabiet cable-car departure
8:30 GABIET – start of 1st edition of the Mezzalama Jeunes race
13:00 STAFAL – finish line and flower ceremony for winners of junior race

GRESSONEY SAINT JEAN – Friday 24 April 2015
Sporthaus Gymnasium
10:30- 18:00 Consignment of bibs for the 20th Mezzalama Trophy and equipment check
14:00– 18:00 Accreditation of journalists and guests
14:00- 19:00 Sporthaus Gym – Postmarking service with postcards of the event
18:00 Sporthaus Gym – Official prize-giving ceremony for winners of junior competition and obligatory technical briefing for team leaders

GRESSONEY LA TRINITE'– Saturday 25 April 2015
Busca Thédy Area
4:00 Stafal-Gabiet-Salati and Indren ski-lifts open Ascent free from 4:00 to 8:30. Direct access to lifts without paying at the ticket office.
4:15-5:15 ARVA check
5:00 START of 20th edition of the Mezzalama Trophy

BREUIL CERVINIA – Saturday 25 April 2015
6:00 Opening of Breuil-Cervinia/Plateau Rosà lift system. Ascent free from 6:00 to 8:00. The public may proceed directly to the lift without paying at the ticket office. The ticket office and ski-slopes will observe normal opening hours.
9:00-17:00 Postmarking service available at the Italian Post Office gazebo at the finish-line in Cretaz.
Free post-cards of the event will be available.
9:15-11:15 Live online streaming of race
12:00 (approx.) Podium flower ceremony: winners of 20th Edition on stage and press conference
16:00 AWARD CEREMONY