The first-ever SkySnow European Championships launched the 2025 skyrunning season in Tarvisio, Friuli, Italy on March 14-15, 2025, with the participation of 16 teams from across Europe who battled for the 21 medals at stake. Italy, Spain and Portugal came out on top of the country ranking.
True to its name, SkySnow did not disappoint in the Vertical Monte Lussari on Friday evening with 50 cm of fresh snow at the summit after a night and day of constant precipitation. The course features a short, steep 950m vertical climb up a 3.6 km ski run with some stretches reaching a 40% incline.
The spectacular race started at dusk flanked by fire torches to mark the course and illuminated by athletes’ headlamps lighting up the falling snowflakes in the night sky. First to reach the 1,790m summit were Italians Daniel Thedy and 2024 SkySnow World Champion Tadei Pivk, followed by Luka Kovacic from nearby Slovenia.
“I’m really pleased with my result as it was totally unexpected. I knew my legs could take it, but I didn’t expect to conquer the European title,” Thedy commented. “I’m also very happy with the team results – we all did really well.”
The top two women’s medallists were also Italian, Benedetta Broggi and Corinna Ghirardi. The bronze medal, another surprise, went to Britain’s Emily Collinge. “I picked a great event for my return to competitive racing as the atmosphere was really cool. It was incredible to watch the real specialists in action up ahead,” she said. “There’s definitely room for improvement in my Sky Snow technique which is exciting because it means there’s only one way to go from here – up!”
The severe weather conditions impacted Saturday’s CLASSIC discipline, the Monte Mangart Winter Trail which maintained the scheduled 15 km distance, but reduced the original 515m vertical climb to 400m with a changed course. Located at a lower altitude than the VERTICAL, rain prevailed, making for demanding foot work through slush and snow.
Again, Italy prevailed with Lorenzo Rota Martir taking the gold and Luca Del Pero, 2022 SkySnow World Champion and bronze and silver medallist in the 2024 Championships, pocketing the silver. Bronze went to Spaniard Alvaro Osanz.
“I tried to take it easy, but right after the start one guy was trying to outrun the group so I decided to keep him in check,” commented Rota Martir. “After yesterday’s VERTICAL I felt amazing as I was able to compete with the top runners and today, the legs were still good, so I pushed and set my own pace, hoping it was too hard for the others.” The results speak for themselves.
Once more, the gold went to Italy in the women’s race with Benedetta Broggi, a top athlete on the ISF Ranking, taking her second medal in less that 24 hours, the third for the Combined title. Joana Soares from Portugal took the silver and Spain’s Silvia Lara, the bronze.
“It’s really incredible – two wins in two days! I still can’t believe it,” stated Broggi. “Yesterday it took me a while to process I was European Champion, and I guess it will be the same today.”
Overall, 16 countries participated in these first SkySnow European Championships: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
Main sponsor of the events was Italian brand NORTEC, market leader and producer of micro crampons, also sponsor of the 2022 and 2024 SkySnow World Championships, in collaboration with FISky, the Italian Skyrunning Federation.
SkySnow – running on snow at altitude with micro-crampons – is fast becoming a popular winter discipline and, after two World Championships, the successful conclusion of the European Championships, the Continental Championships will continue with the Asia Pacific Championships which will be hosted in Japan on April 5-6, 2025.
SKYSNOW EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS VERTICAL – Vertical Monte Lussari
Men
Gold– Daniel Thedy (ITA) – 33’53”
Silver – Tadei Pivk (ITA) – 34’41”
Bronze – Luka Kovacic (SLO) – 34’44”
Women
Gold – Benedetta Broggi (ITA) – 42’01”
Silver – Corinna Ghirardi (ITA) – 42’12”
Bronze – Emily Collinge (GBR) – 43’35”
SKYSNOW EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS CLASSIC – Monte Mangart Winter Trail
Men
Gold – Lorenzo Rota Martir (ITA) – 1h00’56”
Silver – Luca Del Pero (ITA) – 1h01’40”
Bronze – Alvaro Osanz (ESP) – 1h01’52”
Women
Gold – Benedetta Broggi (ITA) – 1h12’42”
Silver – Joana Soares (POR) – 1h13’35”
Bronze – Silvia Lara (ESP) – 1h14’24”
SKYSNOW COMBINED EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS
(based on the results of both the VERTICAL and SKY disciplines)
Men
Gold – Lorenzo Rota Martir (ITA)
Silver – Luca Del Pero (ITA)
Bronze – Vitalii Chernov (AIN)
Women
Gold – Benedetta Broggi (ITA)
Silver – Corinna Ghirardi (ITA)
Bronze – Silvia Lara (ESP)
