The Trofeo Alasport, also known as the Cross di Alà dei Sardi, is an annual

cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open coun ...

competition which takes place in March in

Alà dei Sardi Alà dei Sardi ( sc, Alà) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sassari in the Italy, Italian region Sardinia, located about north of Cagliari and about southwest of Olbia. Alà dei Sardi borders the following municipalities: Berch ...

on the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

island of

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...

. Unusually for a high-profile cross country event, it has often been held after the

IAAF World Cross Country Championships World Athletics Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Formerly held annually and organised by World Athletics (formerly the IAAF), it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the Int ...

which occurs in late March. The Trofeo Alasport is traditionally the final event of the cross country season in Italy. The competition was initiated in 1973 by a local

athletics Athletics may refer to: Sports * Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking ** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport * Athletics (physical culture), competiti ...

enthusiast, Antonello Baltolu, and has been held on an annual basis since then by the local sports association, the ''Società Sportiva Alasport''. It is one of the foremost competitions of its type in Italy, alongside the

Cinque Mulini The Cinque Mulini is an annual cross country running race in San Vittore Olona, Italy. First held in 1933, the course is unusual in that it revolves around a number of water mills along Olona river, which lend the competition its name – meaning ' ...

, and attracts international competitors of the highest calibre. Former winners of the event include numerous world cross country champions, such as

Paul Tergat Paul Kibii Tergat (born 17 June 1969) is a Kenyan former professional long distance runner. He became the first Kenyan man to set the world record in the marathon in 2003, with a time of 2:04:55, and is regarded as one of the most accomplished l ...

John Ngugi John Ngugi Kamau (born 10 May 1962), is a former Kenyan long-distance runner, often called one of the greatest cross country runners of all time and winner of the 5000 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics, in Seoul South Korea. Career Born in Kigu ...

Kenenisa Bekele Kenenisa Bekele ( om, Qananiisaa baqqalaa; am, ቀነኒሳ በቀለ; born 13 June 1982) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner. He was the world record holder in both the 5000-metre and 10000-metre from 2004 (5,000m) and 2005 (10,000m) unti ...

and

Khalid Skah Khalid Skah ( ar, خالد سكاح) (born 29 January 1967) is a Moroccan track and field athlete, winner of the 10,000 metres at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Born in Midelt, Morocco, Skah established himself first as a good cross country runner ...

in the men's race, while

Albertina Dias Maria Albertina da Costa Dias Pereira (born 26 April 1965 in Miragaia) is a former Portuguese long-distance runner. She competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics for her native country, starting in 1988. She was the first female Portuguese ...

Gete Wami Getenesh "Gete" Wami Degife (Amharic: ጌጤነሽ 'ጌጤ' ዋሚ ደግፌ born December 11, 1974 in Debre Berhan) is an Ethiopian former long-distance runner who competed in cross country, track, and road events. Her brother, Mulugeta Wami ...

and

Jackline Maranga Jackline Maranga (born December 16, 1977, in Nyanturago, Kisii) is a retired Kenyan middle-distance runner. She won a silver medal at the World Junior Championships at the age of 15, and also won silver medals in the two following Championships, ...

have won on the women's side.Sampaolo, Diego (2008-04-07)
Bekele and Tufa take xc wins in Sardinia

IAAF World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (from 1912 to 2001) and International Association of Athletics Federations (from 2001 to 2019, both abbreviated as the IAAF) is the international governing body for ...

. Retrieved on 2011-03-30. The men's elite race is held over roughly while the women's competition is half that distance at around . The Trofeo Alasport began as a domestic event but quickly took on an international nature, with British Olympian

John Bicourt John Peter Bicourt (25 October 1945 – 16 January 2023) was a British middle-distance runner. He competed in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 1972 Summer Olympics and the 1976 Summer Olympics. He represented England in the 3,000 metres steep ...

becoming the first foreign winner at the fourth edition. Belgium's

Léon Schots Léon Schots (born 11 June 1952) is a Belgian former long-distance runner who competed in track and cross country running competitions. His greatest achievement was a gold medal at the 1977 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where he also le ...

was the first world champion to take victory in Alà dei Sardi in 1983. African names came to dominate the winner's lists from the 1990s onwards, with

Susan Sirma Susan Sirma (born May 26, 1966) is a retired Kenyan middle-distance runner best known for winning a bronze medal over 3000 metres at the 1991 World Championships, becoming the first black African woman to win a track and field medal at World Champ ...

of Kenya ushering in the change with back-to-back victories in 1991 and 1992.Civai, Franco (2010-03-16)
Cross di Alà dei Sardi

Association of Road Racing Statisticians The Association of Road Racing Statisticians is an independent, non-profit organization that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics regarding road running races. The primary purpose of the ARRS is to maintain a valid list of world road record ...

. Retrieved on 2011-03-30. In addition to these elite level races, amateur competitions are also featured on the programme of the day's events, as well as number of shorter youth-level races.Ala' dei Sardi - 35° Trofeo Alasport - Manifestazione Internazionale di Corsa Campestre
. Gallura In Tasca. Retrieved on 2011-03-30. The competition has been held every year with the exceptions of 1980 and a brief suspension of the event between 2005 and 2007. Since 1986, the Trofeo Alasport has also been designated as the ''Trofeo Presidente della Repubblica'', an honorific in recognition from the

President of Italy The president of Italy, officially denoted as president of the Italian Republic ( it, Presidente della Repubblica Italiana) is the head of state of Italy. In that role, the president represents national unity, and guarantees that Italian poli ...

Past elite race winners

References

{{reflist ;List of winners
Albo d'Oro del Trofeo Alasport
S.S. Alasport. Retrieved on 2011-03-30. *Civai, Franco (2010-03-16)

. Retrieved on 2011-03-30.

External links

Official website
Cross country running competitions Athletics competitions in Italy Sport in Sardinia Recurring sporting events established in 1973 Cross country running in Italy Annual sporting events in Italy 1973 establishments in Italy Spring (season) events in Italy

Past elite race winners

See also

References

External links