After an experimental male presence (Federico Tontodonati, Marco de Luca and Francesco Fortunato) and female (Federica Curiazzi) at individual level in 2014 and again that of Federico Tontodonati last year, this year is finally the turn of a big of the Italian race walk to try out the now-classic Around Taihu international end-of-season race walk event.

Tomorrow morning in the frame of the long Taihu Lake, surrounded by a multitude of fitwalkers in the "Mass Event" participants will start the four days with the 20km.

On Monday 25th will be the Mudu stages, 10km of the long avenues in the city center, and Tuesday 26th the 10,5km in the fascinating circuit at Yuanboyan's fitness center. Finally the Dongshan's most feared stage with a good part of the climbing route to end near the Luxiang Ancient Village, 10km distance to be enjoyed up to the end, with a very interesting final part after the 40km of the previous three days.

Antonella Palmisano will compete in a mixed team with Lithuanian colleague, Brigita Virbalyte-Dimsiene and Hungarian Viktoria Madarasz, both veterans of Around Taihu.

The three athletes, for their technical potential and for the results obtained in the season, have good chances of well-figuring out, even if they do not even like the podium.

Unfortunately, Taihu's weather forecasts are not the best, but this year's rainfall is unfortunately expected for the duration of the four days. We hope that even in China, as we sometimes do at home, we are wrong.

(photos by Lorenzo Dessì - ITA)

 

 

 

 

Antonella Palmisano, Brigita Virbalite-Dimsiene, Viktoria Madarasz, Ainhoa Pinedo, 

Julia Takacs, Shange Lebogang and Sandor Racz during training