New Ultra Trail Amidst the Giants of the Valle D'Aosta
News Release / 25.02.2010
This event, strongly supported by the Regional Government through the councillors responsible for Sport, Tourism, and Agriculture, will be the sporting event of the year for the alpine region.
The Tor des Géants is a Trail-Running race, is a non-stop ultra-marathon that is run in its entirety along the footpaths of the Alte Vie high mountain trails: 330km over 24,000 metres range in altitude, starting and finishing in Courmayeur.
The two high trails (Alta VIA n. 1 and Alta Via n. 2 will be linked in a circuit for the race, tracing an ideal alpine route through the most beautiful areas of the Valle d'Aosta.
The section on Col Lauzon (3,300 m.) is the highest point of the race. It is situated in the Gran Paradiso National Park, along the section between Valsavarenche and Cogne, which the athletes will cover over the first and second days of the race. In all the course will cover a total of 25 peaks of over 2,000 metres, skirt 30 alpine lakes and cross 2 nature parks (the Mont Avic Regional Park and the Gran Paradiso National Park). 34 municipalities will be involved (list follows).
Any enthusiasts over the age of 20 who wish to put themselves to the test can take part in this sporting event, said to be the most arduous of its kind in the world. The time limit is 150 hours (the race closes at 16:00 on Saturday 18th September). The route runs through the whole Valle d'Aosta region, covering the highest paths of the four-thousanders (Gran Paradiso, Monte Rosa, Matterhorn, and Mont Blanc), the highest mountains in Europe.
For the safety of the competitors, and so as not to debase the competitive spirit, time limits for the intermediate stages will prevent slower competitors from continuing. Each competitor will decide on his own speed and relative race strategy and using the bases set up for safety, resting, eating, and sleeping.
With over 500 assistants spread out along the route, the organisers, (co-ordinated by ASD Courmayeur Trailer) guarantee 7 base-stations and 43 refreshment points for the competitors. In each of the 50 bases it will be possible to rest and stock-up on food and drink, but the 7 base-stations provide larger and more comfortable spaces for sleeping as well as being equipped to supply medical assistance and ambulance services whenever needed. Also in these bases the competitors will find their own bag and personal effects, brought there by the organisers during the race in order that the athletes are provided with changes of clothing and shoes, appropriate nutritional products, and everything else that they made need for the next stage of the race.
Every base will also act as a time checkpoint so that the progress of the race and posi-tion of each competitor can be followed at all times. The results obtained by the check-points will be shared through the race web-site so that whoever wants to may follow the progress of the competitors.
Online entries are now open and the maximum number of participants has been set at 500 (with half those places already taken). The entry fee is €320 and you can enter through the race web-site at <a href="#" onclick="javascript:newsitewindow('http://www.tordesgeants.it')" class="main">www.tordesgeants.it</a>. Entries will close on 20th August 2010, or when the top limit of 500 participants has been reached.
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