“We therefore conducted aerobic and technical stress tests to assess our fitness levels. “To create any good training plan, a good starting point is required,” Largeault says. I am stoked to race it!”įranck Largeault is preparing for the challenge of his life. ©Franck Largeault He was psyched to run this race, to be out in the mountains, to feel strong and alive. “I would never dare to compare myself to him but I love his commitment and spirit. “Heckmair's incredible dedication to alpinism is for me a great example of the spirit of mountaineering,” says Matthias. “As every year, I'm happy to compete and be able to combine different modalities and distances,” says Kilian.Īlso in the lineup, and further down the pack, will be a team from Suunto made up of guide Fabien Meyer, ice climber Matthias Scherer and digital manager for France, Franck Largeault. Of those competitors, Suunto ambassador, Kilian Jornet will once again join his teammates in Italy. The change adds about 350 meters of altitude to the route. The race will guide athletes from Gressoney-la-Trinité to Breuil-Cervinia – the exact opposite of previous editions. This year, in commemorating 150 years since the first ascent of the Matterhorn, the Mezzalama Trophy route will run in reverse. Heckmair would later achieve global fame for leading the hardest pitch during the first ascent of the North Face of the Eiger four years later.Ĭheck out the Mezzalama Trophy Trailer below: Like in 1934, when a young German solo skier called Anderl Heckmair overtook all competing teams despite starting one-and-a-half-hours after the pack. But it’s not only the competition’s toughness and high altitude that makes it so appealing – it’s Mezzalama’s history.Įstablished back in 1933, it’s one of the oldest races of its kind, and holds historic significance in the minds of many skiers. It's a 45 km race with 3,430 m of vertical ascent. We take a closer look at this historic competition and the Suunto athletes training for the 20th edition of the race.Īs part of the “big three of ski mountaineering,” The Mezzalama Trophy is among the highest alpine ski mountaineering events of the world. The iconic, high-altitude ski mountaineering race takes place in the Cervinia region of Italy every other year, and sees about 300 teams of three skiers tackle some of the toughest terrain in the Alps. The Mezzalama Trophy is one tough challenge.
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