What a sadness in the tenth edition of the Memorial Rodolfo Crasso who wanted to remember the president of the historic club of Trieste born in 1945 after 2nd world war.
First of all for the location.
In the last two editions, the event took place in the "good living room" of the City in a circuit that embraced the heart of the Sunday stroll between Piazza Unita d'Italia surrounded by its nineteenth-century buildings of the Town Hall, the Prefecture, the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (but that was born and known as Lloyd Triestino Palace) and that of the Generali Insurance Company.
The last two editions had seen a large audience encourage athletes.
This year, however, for unknown and incomprehensible reasons, the Municipality has imposed the circuit of the race in the area of the former Porto Vecchio, on a course of 1,000m (500m go and back) next to the Port Warehouse n. 26.
For heaven's sake, the location is very interesting and in the future it could be an excellent point of reference, but to see no more than a hundred people among athletes, public and officials has generated in the writer so much melancholy.
We regret that the enormous efforts of the Organizing Committee to prepare the competition field in an optimal manner (perfectly measured race field, high quality fittings and services, local radio and TV connections, and even a rich buffet) have not seen the presence of a scrap of public.
And we come to participation.
The very young walkers (between 6 years of age and 13 years of age) represented two-thirds of the participants who reached a total of 56 at the start.
In the last two editions, the Organizing Club (Gruppo Sportivo San Giacomo - Triest) had to try hard in research the most interesting athletes and, to be honest, it managed to bring to Trieste in 2017 from Antonella Palmisano to Valentina Tralpetti and Nicole Colombi among women and from Francesco Fortunato to Leonardo Dei Tos and Stefano Chiesa among men.
This year the 10km race, the most important one, had to be satisfied with the presence of five men (of whom three competing in the Master category) and eight women (of which five belonging to the Master category).
Fault of a hyper concentrated calendar or end of season disinterest from someone?
We can not then complain if the efforts of the Organizers to offer a decent day of walking are not then subject to future considerations.
Is it worth continuing?
Perhaps the Cav. Rodolfo Crasso from up above will have observed us desolate.
And we come to the races.
10km men
Victory to Ruggero D'Ascanio (ITA) who started from Basilicata, making over 1,000km by train in order to compete in 10th Memorial Crasso.
His time (51:53) is exactly 10:10 greater than that of last year's winner, Francesco Fortunato, which in itself should give a sense of the result.
We add that the likeable Ruggero D'Ascanio (who in the 2017 edition had arrived 6th in 44:00) has been in the lead from the beginning to the end of the race with these split times:
- 1km: 4:44
- 2km: 9:35
- 3km: 12.37
- 4km: 19:39
- 5km: 24:49
- 6km: 29:59
- 7km: 35:24
- 8km: 40:56
- 9km: 46.30
For the second place the few spectators had to wait exactly another 10 minutes to see the arrival of Fabio Ruzzier (1:01:53), while another 4:01 waiting for the third, Silvio Dorigo (1:05:54)
10km women
Last year, in the edition under a hurricane, Valentina Trapletti had won at 43:30.
This year to win was Tijana Savicevic (SRB) in 54:07 that in the 2017 edition had arrived 6th in 51:51, and even in these numbers there is a sense of the women's race.
Her split times:
- 1km: 5:20
- 2km: 10:39
- 3km: 16:04
- 4km: 21:23
- 5km: 26:48
- 6km: 32:11
- 7km: 37:40
- 8km: 43:08
- 9km: 48:39
In second place Elena Cinca (ITA) in 55:19, fresh winner of the world titles master M45 in that of Malaga
In third place the young eighteen year old Eva Canadi (SLO) in 57.10.
Tijana Savicevic (SRB)
Elena Cinca (ITA)
5km U16 boys
In two at the start.
Victory to Emiliano Brigante (ITA) in 24:03 which boasts an excellent 22.32.03 on the 5.000m track walk.
Second place to Jaka Grabner (SLO) in 28:09
5km U16 girls
In three at the start
Victory to Emilia Pipi Piljek (CRO) in 30:30
Second place to Lara Barbato (ITA) in 30:36
Karin Avsenek (SLO) has not finished the race