La Ciaspolada

9.1.2004
SNOWSHOEING IN FONDO/ITALY


I started year 2004 in Italy, Trentino, Fondo. There is a big snowshoe event called La Ciaspolada (a snowshoe in English), which was held 31st time from Romeno to Fondo. For us Finns snowshoeing as a competitive sport is still quite unknown, but in Italy it seemed to be well-known. More than 6000 participants in this event, which is the biggest snowshoe event in the world. But what did I do there?

spots are people running ciaspolada in wonderful weather
punching the second control in ciaspolada orienteering The Finnish Snowshoe Organization wanted to make an effort to have some more status for Finnish snowshoeing. I was asked to participate the Finnish team with Seppo Paajanen, who have won many FC titles in snowshoeing. I have one championship gold from 2002. Marika Mikkola was asked to compete in women's cathegory. We orienteers want to experience new all the time, so I took the challenge and traveled to Italy with Finnish team. I didn't know what to expect, but I was open minded and even trained with snowshoes more than before.

The weather was wonderful in Italy like the best days in Finland during spring. We were a day in Madonna di campiglio - there was 2m of snow! Then we participated in ciaspolada orienteering, which was really nice. One have to organize something like that in Finland too. It would be possible to use ski-orienteering tracks. There were 22 controls and 3,27km in shortest way. All but the 22nd control was supposed to take in free order. One minute before start we got the map and chose the order that we wanted to run with snowshoes. I liked that kind of training, though it was a competition.

the streets of fondo were snowed before for ciaspolada
On sunday the fourth was time to run La Ciaspolada. The course was 7,5km(115m climbing), Romeno-Cavareno-Sarnonico-Fondo. The route that some Italians have gone with snowshoes times ago in winter. The competition was even tougher than I expected. In Italy they have uphill-running team and snowshoe team. Both participate in Ciaspolada. Two Kenians and some good orienteers: Rigoni, Tavernaro and Mamléev. I didn't know before the race that I can't compete against the best with my snowshoes. The best had just running shoe on top the snowshoe-bottom. One can run properly that way. I had normal system and couldn't run well. Allthough, it was nice and even tougher with my system. Results are in the link, but winner was an uphill-runner Claudio Cassi. Rigoni ran really well and ended to 6th spot.

I'm glad to have one experience more and I think that was not my only visit in snowshoe competition. I'm going to have those top-level snowshoes and train with them in winter. I think snowshoeing is good training for an orienteer during winter and it is "easy" way to get endurance force, which is needed in orienteering.

-jani-