SA Valchiese and Snowdon Race Team triumph at Trofeo Vanoni Relays
The historic streets of Morbegno were alive with excitement during an exhilarating weekend of elite mountain running on October 25–26, 2026. The event featured nail-biting finishes, international prowess, and record-setting achievements at the 69th Trofeo Vanoni and the 43rd Women’s Vanoni Relay.
SA Valchiese Claims Historic Men’s Trophy
In the men’s 69th Trofeo Vanoni, the Italian relay champions from SA Valchiese—Alberto Vender, Marco Filosi, and Luca Merli—achieved a remarkable victory with a total time of 1h29’50”. This impressive performance ranks as the fourth-fastest relay time in the competition’s history.
The race began with a bang as Great Britain’s Matthew Knowles from the Carnethy Hill Racing Team recorded the fastest individual time of the day at 28’40”, joining an elite group of runners who have completed the course in under 29 minutes. Vender positioned himself strategically behind Knowles, ensuring SA Valchiese remained competitive. During the second leg, Filosi executed a brilliant tactical climb, overtaking Scotland’s Finlay Todd before reaching the summit at Arzo. Merli then anchored the final leg, securing the gold for his team.
The defending champions, Carnethy Hill Racing Team from Scotland, finished in second place with a time of 1h31’15”, closely followed by France, which took third place at 1h31’33”. International teams showcased their strength, occupying seven of the top ten spots in the men’s race.
Great Britain Reigns Supreme in Women’s Race
The women’s 43rd Vanoni Relay highlighted an exceptional performance by Great Britain’s Snowdon Race Team, with the duo of Russell and Eden O’Dean clinching the title with a combined time of 46’32”.
Russell set the pace early on, clocking the fastest individual time of the field at 22’49” and handing over a 40-second lead. O’Dean maintained the advantage, further extending the gap during the final leg to finish well ahead of the competition.
Scotland made a strong second-leg push, led by Grace Pow, who recorded the second-fastest individual time of 23’09”, elevating her team to second overall with a total time of 47’30”. Local favorite and Italian champion Alice Gaggi, along with teammate Claudia Previtali, fought hard to secure third place for La Recastello. Foreign teams displayed remarkable depth, capturing eight of the top ten positions on the leaderboard.
