Come back this year the Lugano Trophy, valid for the 14th memorial Mario Albisetti, after the year of the stop in 2016.
Also returning with a good prize money for both men and women but also for young U20.
The course is the historical one of the previous editions on the lakeside of Lugano and winds between Riva Vincenzo Vela, Riva Giocondo Albertolli and Corso Elvezia.
The edition is shaping up with the presence of some high-interest names in both races men and women.
20km men
Up today are entered 32 athletes.
The best entry time is to Erick Barrondo, (GUA - 1:18:25), but once got as far Mar. 18, 2012 in this race.
Last year, the season of the Guatemalan was not one of the brightest, and now the curiosity is to see him to the test after the change of coach (Francisco "Paquillo" Fernandez). Barrondo this year by only competed in an indoor 5.000m in Bordeaux (FRA) on Feb. 19, 2017 and stopped the clock in 21:14:41, performance that is just the 75th in the world list. Certainly the athlete can do much better!
The second entry time is to Yu Wei (CHN - 1:19:07) who last Sunday walked a 30km and therefore, according to his coach sandro Damilano, will compete looking for a quiet performance around 1:23:30.
The third entry time is to Miguel Angel Lopez (ESP - 1:19:22), World and European Champion in charge even him back from a 2016 season not as bright as the previous ones, and that certainly will take to best prepare for London 2017 .
Among the other candidates for victory are Nazar Kovalenko (UKR) and Ivan Losev (UKR). The two athletes of Ukraine last Sunday in Ivano-Frankivsk to their championships have got some pretty good performances: Kovalenko 1:22:57 and Losev 1:23:24. It will be interesting to see if after a week they will be able to dispose of the effort or not.
Another name worth noting is that of Tom Bosworth (GBR - 6th in Rio de Janeiro in 1:20:13) who made an intense indoor activities with high-level results (in Sheffield on Feb. 12, 2017: 18:39:47 ) and Coventry (GBR) he last Mar. 5, 2017 in 10km recorded a great 40:20.
Tomala David (POL), Alex Wright (IRL), and Robert Heffernan (IRL) will be the game.
20km women
At present, there are 16 registered athletes
If there are no other athletes of interest added, the victory should be a matter between three:
- Drahotova Anezka (CZE) who has the best entry time (1:26:53 - Murcia, May 17, 2015) and that certainly is preparing in the best way for the home Europan Cup in Podebrady (CZE);
- Mirna Ortiz (GUA - 1:28:31 obtained in Rio Maior on Apr. 6, 2013) she, like her husband Erick Barrondo, now under the technical guidance of Francisco "Paquillo" Fernandez
- Brigita Virbalyte-Dimsiene (LTU) who spent almost two months in Australia in Canberra where he competed on 10,000m track and then moved to Adelaide for Australian Open Championships finished second in 1:30:55 after Regan Lamble (1:29:58).
Other names of interest to follow are those of Maria Czakova (SVK) and Katarzyna Golba (POL), as well as that of local star Laura Polli, an emblem of women's walk of Switzerland.
At U20 level in men the fight is the usual between Leo Kopp (GER) and David Kuster (FRA), while in female race will be interesting to see the battle between World Champion U20 in Bydgoszcz, Ma Zhenxia (CHN) now coached by Sandro Damilano, the other two Chinese athletes Sun Rongrong and Bai Xueyng and Teresa Zurek (GER).
The two have met only in Bydgoszcz, where the Chinese won in 45:18:45 and the German arrived
11th in 46:34:94.
The indoor season Zurek lets hope a lot more.
The podium of the last edition (2015): Yohanni Diniz, Lebogang Shange, Caio Bonfim