With the last Vertical round, held on Sunday, January 19 at night on the slopes of the Alpette and Sises mountains in Sestriere, the Ski Mountaineering competitions of the FISU Winter Games Torino 2025 officially ended.
There were two mass starts from the finish parterre of the Kandahar G.A. slope. Agnelli in Sestriere: the men’s race kicked off at 6:15 pm followed by the women’s race at 6:30 pm. The run of 1.8km for, 315 meters of elevation gain, saw the athletes engaged in the ascent of Mount Alpette and then continued to the slopes of Mount Sises with the finish line located at the arrival station of the Vialattea Cit Roc chairlift. At 8:30 p.m., on the stage of the Medal Plaza in Sestriere, Sestriere Mayor Gianni Poncet and Deputy Mayor Maurizio Cantele awarded the athletes who won medals in the Vertical race that closed the Ski Mountaineering competitions in Sestriere of the FISU Winter Games Torino 2025. The gold medal in the men’s Vertical went to France’s Remi Cantan, who finished ahead of Germany’s Gramelsberger and compatriot Robin Saje. Also from France went the women’s gold to Margot Ravinel who won over Spain’s Ordonez Cobacho and Italy’s Noemi Junod.
Sprint races had been held during the week, Thursday 16, won by France’s Margot Ravinel (a double victory for her in Sestriere) and Germany’s Finn Elias Hosche. On Friday, 17, the Mixed Relay for Nations, saw France prevail ahead of Spain, Germany, China, Poland, Italy, and the United States.
“Sestriere is back on the University Games tour after the edition hosted back in 1966. The Night Ski Mountaineering competitions were truly impressive and challenged 50 athletes representing 13 nations along the slopes of Mount Sises and Alpette. As Municipal Administration we are really satisfied with the debut of Ski Mountaineering in Sestriere, a success achieved thanks to a great teamwork” – said the Mayor of Sestriere Gianni Poncet.
“Thank you Sestriere, thank you FISU, to the sports manager Ubaldo Pruker, to all the volunteers, to the Police Forces and thank you to Vialattea. Especially to the Vialattea sports director, Gualtiero Brasso, and to all the staff of the race office who did their best to help us in the preparation and implementation of the tracks here in Sestriere in a very special location, made even more magical by the night races,” – commented Damiano Lenzi, competition manager of the Ski Mountaineering races of the FISU Winter Games Torino 2025.
