LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL: Italy

Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts

Ultrarunner Kilian Jornet continues to demonstrate that he is amongst the best endurance athletes on the planet by once again setting an impressive new speed record. This time he made short work of the Matterhorn, crushing a record that has stood for 18 years in the process.

This latest test of Kilian's athletic abilities also marked the final phase of his Summits of My Life project. The speed attempt started and ended at the Church Square in Cervinia, Italy with the turn around point being the summit of Mount Cervino, which sits at a height of 4476 meters (14,685 ft). The round trip journey covered 17.48 km (10.86 miles) with a total ascent of 2469 meters (8100 ft). Kilian was able to cover that distance in a time of 2 hours, 52 minutes and 02 seconds. That easily beats the previous record set in 1995 by Bruno Brunod, who finished he same route in 3 hour, 14 minutes, 44 seconds.

As always, Kilian never fails to impress. The guy is simply an incredible athlete. This latest record comes on the heels of him setting a speed record on Mont Blanc in July when he ran up and down that 4810 meter (15,781 ft) peak in 4 hours, 57 minutes and 40 seconds. That was 13 minutes faster than the previous best time set by Pierre-André Gobet in 1990. I guess it would be an understatement to say that he's had a busy and productive summer, huh?

Congratulations to Kilian for another amazing run. Thanks for reminding the rest of us that we are just mere mortals.

The newest cycling team to join the Pro Continental competition is Team MTN Qhubeka, which has the distinction of being the first of its kind from Africa. The squad was formed at the end of 2012 and has already raced in two big competitions this year, including the Milano-SanRemo, a tough single-day classic in Italy. That event was won by Gerald Ciolek, who announced the arrival of this team to the cycling world in style.

The video below is the first of series of short films that will chronicle the team's efforts in their first year on the circuit. It is a beautifully shot documentary that gives us a behind the scenes look at cycling with a team of riders who are eager to leave their mark on the sport. If you're a fan of road cycling, I think you'll really enjoy what you see here. I know I'm already looking forward to the next episode.

Looking for a fun, challenging and fulfilling adventure later this year? Then checkout Trekstock's intriguing Another Great Gig in the Sky hike. The event is a 6-day trek through the Alps that crosses three countries (Italy, France and Switzerland) that culminates at the Paléo Music Festival. But the trip isn't just about hiking through some of the most beautiful regions in Europe, it is also a charity fundraiser that will earn much needed cash to help young people dealing with cancer.

Trekstock is an organization that officially launched back in 2010 with the expressed mission of helping to raise funds to battle cancer and to help educate youth about leading a healthy lifestyle. Since then, one of their major fundraisers has been their Great Gig in the Sky adventures. Last year the trek took them to Mt. Kenya in Africa and this year the route will wind through the Alps.

The route for the 2013 "Gig" was designed by 360 Expeditions exclusively for this event. The challenge trek will follow the Tour Du Mount Blanc circuit starting in Courmayeur, Italy and ending in Chamonix, France, with a stop at the Swiss music festival along the way. Registration for the Gig is £350 ($550) and includes flights from the U.K. to the start of the hike and a 2-day weekend festival pass to the Paléo. Each of the trekkers will be expected to raise a minimum of an additional £2800 ($4425) for the cause.

For anyone interested in joining the trek the dates that it will be underway are Friday July 19 - Sunday 28. Find out a lot more by clicking here.

Hmm...definitely intriguing. Maybe I should add this to my list of things to do this year!