Europe’s highest race, the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon, announces 2023 date

The Monte Rosa SkyMarathon, Europe’s highest race reaching a staggering 4,554m altitude, returns to the original date on June 17, 2023. The 2022 date was postponed by a week due to the 150^th anniversary of the local Mountain Guides. The AMA VK2, a double Vertical Kilometer®, will be held on the same day.

Despite the hot, difficult climatic conditions and international travel restrictions due to the pandemic, this year’s race saw the participation of teams from 23 countries. Among them, Norwegian Stian Angermund, multiple Skyrunning World Champion and recent Trail Running World Champion. Participating in this iconic event, his first race above 3,000m altitude, he commented, “This is the most alpine race I ever did. This is pure skyrunning! I had never been over 3,000m altitude and wasn’t really prepared for the breathtaking views – maybe also because of the altitude! I will definitely be back again to this wonderful race!” he concluded.

This unique event in true skyrunning style traverses moraine, snow fields and glaciers for 35 kilometres with a gruelling 7,000m ascent and descent.

After 3,500m vertical climb athletes reach the Margherita Hut at the summit, marking the turn-around point for another 3,500m – downhill. The skyrunning recipe is completed with the challenging terrain over moraine, snow fields and glaciers.

It was exactly thirty years ago that the first Monte Rosa SkyMarathon took place here,  representing the birth of skyrunning as a sport. The original race was relaunched in 2018 with a new format where athletes race in teams of two, roped together for safety.

Italians Franco Collé and William Boffelli set the team record here in 2018 in  4h39’59” over the original course. The women’s record was set the same year by American Hillary Gerardi and Briton Holly Page in 5h51’32”.

The fourth edition of the AMA VK2, a double Vertical Kilometer® which covers half the course of the main race, 9 km – uphill only, takes place on the same day. Last year saw the male record crumble for the second year in a row thanks to the high-level participation and remains at 1h32′.

Entries for both races will open on January 10, 2023 and will remain open until the quotas are reached: 250 teams (500 athletes) for the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon and 300 athletes for the AMA VK2.

Already working to welcome participants, sponsors and spectators for the 2023 edition of the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon and the AMA VK2 are: Manuel Gambarini, Race Organiser and President of the AMA Organising Committee together with the team, the Mountain Guides, the Alpine Rescue Service and all the volunteers – on and off the mountain, together with the events’ institutional partners: the Councils of Alagna Valsesia, Gressoney La Trinité and Borgosesia, the Piedmont Region, the Province of Vercelli, Visit Monterosa, and Monterosa 2000.