PRESS RELEASE NO. 21 “KING GIORGIO THE TENTH”

Faenza, May 31^st, 2015

PRESS RELEASE NO. 21

43^rd 100KM DEL PASSATORE

“KING GIORGIO THE TENTH!”

The athlete from Rome confirmed his role as the “living legend” of the “most beautiful race in the world”. Second place went to Russia’s Dmitry Pavlov, with third place to Chad Rickfles from the United States. First placed female athlete was Nikolina Sustic from Croatia. Enrolments 2,504, starters 2,415, finishers 1,893

“King Giorgio the tenth”. These were the words written on a fan’s banner in Faenza’s Piazza del Popolo waiting for his arrival. It summarizes Giorgio Calcaterra’s tenth consecutive victory in the 100km del Passatore which also gave him the Italian Athletics Federation’s national title for 100km road racing. At 43 years of age the athlete from Rome confirmed that he is the greatest all time ultra marathon runner and the living legend of the “world’s most beautiful race”.

Calcaterra won in a time of 7h08’04”. For only the second time he exceeded the 7 hour barrier in a wonderful race that did not lack difficulties. He was able to camouflage a crisis that struck him after Marradi where he reacted as the champion he is by fighting a mental battle with his body, but he could count on the psychological support on the man who should have been his primary rival, Italian Hermann Achmuller.

In fact, the athlete from the Alto Adige region “blew out” during the race and, rather than return to his hotel, climbed into a car to join Calcaterra and spurred him on until Faenza. This was a gesture of solidarity and truly rare sporting passion that does honour to the ultra marathon runner from Bressanone who had reached the podium in the previous two editions and to all those involved in marathon runners.

The top ten placings in the race were:

The female category was deservedly won by Nikolina Sustic from Croatia, who also placed 7^th in the overall table, with an overall time of 7h41’42”. This win also awarded her the Croatian national female title in the specialty after the decision of the Croatian Athletics Federation to entrust their national titles to the “100”.

In second place was countrywoman Veronika Jurisic, who repeated her 2014 performance and third place went to Brenda Carawan from the United States who finished her first Passatore on the podium. Behind the first three female athletes was Marija Vrajic, winner in 2013 and 2014, who had problems at Borgo San Lorenzo and recovered too late.

First placed Italian female runner and therefore winner of the Italian national title was Emanuela Scilla Tonetti, 5^th placed female runner and 36^th overall in 8h28’26”. The Croatian Athletics Federation’s male national title winner was Hrvoje Lovelos Slovinac in 18^th place overall with a time of 8h29’36”.

This year’s 100km del Passatore not only decided the Italian and Croatian national titles, but was also an official stage of the 2015 IUTA Grand Prix and for the CSEN Italian national title.

The starting gun was fired in Florence’s via dè Calzaiuoli on the crack of 3.00pm with the classic starting gun being fired by Andrea Vannucci, the city Councilor responsible for Sport and Giordano Zinzani, President of the “100km”, in the presence of Eugenio Giani, Regional President of the Italian National Olympic Committee. The race was run in excellent conditions that brought out thousands of spectators along the whole course from start to finish in Faenza’s Piazza del Popolo. As well as the spectators, the race was literally accompanied by passionate fans that followed their favourites on bicycles for the length of the race.

Straight from the start the Italians Marco Ferreri, Calcaterra and Hermann Achmuller together with Russia’s Pavlov jumped into the lead reaching the Fiesole (7.5km) in 32’31”. After 1h11’13” at Vetta le Croci (16.5km) the lead trio was composed of Calcaterra, Ferrari and Achmuller who proceeded together to reach Borgo San Lorenzo in 2h25’55”.

Shortly after Ronta (38km) Calcaterra went on the offensive and began setting up a lead on the others reaching Casaglia (48km) with a 3’ on Achmuller and 6’ on Ferrari. Behind the frontrunners Italian Andrea Zambelli, Pavlov and the American Rickfles gradually climbed up the race ladder. On the road down to Marradi Calcaterra progressively increased his lead. Achmuller paid the price for his effort and was forced to retire from the race.

At Marradi Calcaterra had become unreachable taking an 8’ lead on Zambelli and more than 10’ on the outsider Ferrari, who were followed by Pavlov at both San Cassiano and Brisighella where an excellent Rickfles was running in third place.

Finally an overflowing Piazza del Popolo gave a hero’s welcome to a tired but very happy Calcaterra and the public welcomed the other runners with the same enthusiasm as they crossed the finish line.

By official race close at 11.00am this morning, Sunday May 31^st, 1,893 runners officially finished the race compared to 1,738 in 2014 and to which must be added the 7 disabled athletes who finished and the single Nordic walker of the 14 who started in Florence to finish the race. The disabled category was won by Fabrizio Caselli from Florence in a time of 4h17’54”. The CSEN national Italian title for Nordic Walking was won by Vittorio Franciosi in a time of 18h21’00”.

The ultra marathon is organized and promoted by the Sporting Association from Faenza in collaboration with the Wine Consortium of the Romagna, the Society of the Passatore, UOEI, ADMO and CAI, the local councils of Florence, Faenza, Fiesole, Borgo San Lorenzo, Marradi and Brisighella. The event is also supported by its partner companies, Banca di Romagna – Gruppo Cassa di Risparmio di Cesena, Banca CR Firenze, Fondazione del Monte Cassa di Risparmio, Antarex, Friliver-Bracco, Coop Adriatica, Gruppo Hera, Moreno Motor Company, Decathlon, Natura Nuova and its technical sponsor, Saucony.

Enrolments for the race were 2,504 compared to last year’s 2,245, of these 1,414 are members of FIDAL and 1,414 started for the first time. The athletes included more than 277 women and 105 foreign athletes from 31 countries, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Morocco, Mexico, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Rumania, Russia, San Marino, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Ukraine, the United States, Venezuela and Vietnam.

As we have come to expect, the organization and support for the athletes was guaranteed by more than 500 volunteers who deserve praise for their work. They belonged to more than 40 associations and other groups from the towns along the race route.

Press Office