It’s a long way up – the finish line of the new SkySummit at 4,554m, also turnaround for the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon. ©Stefano Jeantet
Monte Rosa is wrestling with a heatwave. With high temperatures, the competition in the weekend’s events is also at a high at the four skyrunning events hosted in Alagna Valsesia, Piedmont, Italy on June 14 and 15, 2025.
Europe’s highest race kicked off this morning with the seventh edition of the Monte Rosa SkyMarathon and this year’s new SkySummit — both reaching 4,554m altitude.
The 35 km loop with a total 7,000m vertical climb to the Monte Rosa summit and back closed with race favourites, Italian William Boffelli and teammate Roberto De Lorenzi from Switzerland taking the win in 4h38’09” over a slightly longer course. It is Boffelli’s sixth win here with different partners. (He set the standing race record in 2023 with partner Tadei Pivk in 4h29’20’’).
Super-stars William Boffelli and Roberto Delorenzi on their way to Boffelli’s sixth win. ©Stefano Jeantet
“Winning this race six times? It all comes down to love — love for the mountains and for this sport. The Monte Rosa SkyMarathon is THE race. There’s nothing more beautiful than this, and it’s an event you simply can’t miss. This year too, I gave it my all but will be back with Roberto to try again for the record next year — hopefully with better conditions!” commented Boffelli.
Delorenzi, at his second attempt here, added, “A spectacular race! We really hoped we could break the record, and getting so close despite a slight detour made us realise it’s definitely possible. I also struggled a bit in the lower section, still feeling the effects of a recent cold, so I want to come back on top form and give it a proper go!”
Luka Kovacic from Slovenia enjoying “the best race” he’s ever done. ©Stefano Jeantet
The second men’s team was all-Italian with locals Mattia Bertoncini and Davide Cheraz, closing in 4h51’41”. Third were Slovenians Luka Kovacic and Klemen Španring at their first attempt in 5h07’35”.
“Wow. Simply wow! This is the best race I’ve ever done. From the town to the top of the mountain and back. So simple, yet so incredible. It was an amazing experience although we struggled a little in the highest part as we don’t have such high mountains in Slovenia. However, we’ll come back for sure now that we know what to expect!” commented Kovacic.
In the women’s race, Italians Ilaria Veronese and Mara Martini were the first to reach the summit in 4h11’11” but were overtaken on the downhill by Swedish twins Sanna and Lina Elkott who closed in 6h17’03”.
Celebrating their second win, Swedish twins Lina and Sanna Elkott are in love with Monte Rosa. ©DamianoBenedettoPhoto
Winners of the 2021 Monte Rosa SkyMarathon, they proved their incredible strength yet again despite lack of acclimatisation, arriving 14th overall.
“We came here simply hoping to make the best of such an incredible place. We didn’t expect to perform so well, but our training on snow at home really paid off! The crowd also is incredible. We felt welcome the first time, now we’re almost at home!
“It was hard. The snow in the lower parts was knee-deep! The downhill was tough, but really fast! We came down on our butts – in true skyrunning style!”
The new SkySummit race embodies the up-only vertical concept, typical of skyrunning – 17.5 km with 3,500m climb, athletes running in pairs, roped together for safety.
Marcello Ugazio, no stranger to Verticals, triumphed in the first-ever SkySummit with his partner Alex Rigo. ©Stefano Jeantet
Italian Marcello Ugazio, winner of the 2023 AMA VK2 and 2022 World Championships silver medallist, proved his uphill prowess on this new vertical, high altitude test, conquering first place with his partner Alex Rigo in 3h22’07”. Ugazio stated, “I really loved this new race. It’s not the usual all-out effort of a Vertical, but a proper long race where you really have to push hard. As soon as we passed 4,000 metres, Alex seemed like a different person and had an incredible pace, so we were able to speed up. There’s still room for improvement, so I’ll definitely be back!”
Second and third were all-Italian teams, while the women’s race saw Italians Marina Cugnetto and Camilla Calosso summit in 4h20’33”.
Marcela Vasinova, second in the SkySummit with her partner Katrin Bieler, enjoyed an incredible race. ©Stefano Jeantet
Second were Marcela Vasinova from Czechia and Italian Katrin Bieler in 4h24’28”. “It was an incredibly beautiful race today,” said Vasinova. “The uphill racing was perfect. We had a lot of competition from the first team, we were trying to chase them all the time. We didn’t win but there’s no position to pay for such an incredible day in these mountains.”
Interesting to note the first race to the summit and back was the Fila Skyrunner® Trophy in 1993, won by Italian Ettore Champretavy in 4h59’50” with an estimated 3h25’ ascent time. Today, 32 years later, he competed in the SkySummit with his son Fabien closing tenth in 4h23’48.
A massive number of fans – precisely 1,300 – cheered on the 542 participants on the higher stretches of the course where the Monterosa 2000 lifts from both sides of the mountain, Alagna and Gressoney, reach 3,275m altitude. Adding to the atmosphere, a lot of support came from huge cowbells rung by herders. The temperature at the summit was a “warm” 2.7°C.
William Boffelli and Roberto Delorenzi arrive in Alagna victorius. ©DamianoBenedettoPhoto
The weekend’s events continue Sunday, June 15 with two more vertical races: the AMA VK2, 9 km and 2,086m vertical climb, and the Monte Rosa Vertical, 5.32 km long with 1,150m vertical climb.
Frenchman Louis Dumas, 2024 VK OPEN champion, will be toeing the line of the AMA VK2 together with Victoria Kreuzer and Martin Anthamatten from Switzerland, and Italians Corinna Ghirardi (2023 winner), Cristian Minoggio and Daniel Thedy.
For lovers of the short and steep vertical, tomorrow’s races offer a challenge for every level.