TORX 2023, a new journey is about to begin

September 1, 2023

EDITORIAL

BOARD

The 14th edition of TORX® is ready to raise the bar once again with a series of innovations, including the official certification of the trails by GARMIN and the brand-new web TV – TORX® LIVE.

Emerging and establishing oneself in any field is a challenging feat, but confirming one's qualities and gradually improving over time is perhaps even more demanding.

In recent years, TOR330 - Tor des Géants® has been able to apply its "magic formula" to more rugged terrains and longer distances with TOR450 – Tor des Glaciers, as well as faster and shorter routes, first with TOR130 – Tot dret and then with TOR30 – Passage au Malatrà.

This has provided a wide range of high-altitude challenges for runners of all ages, levels of preparation, physical, and mental abilities.

Thus, TORX® was born, an epic ten-day journey filled with fatigue, sports, emotions, dreams to chase, and summits to conquer, literally bringing the entire world to Valle d'Aosta to share a unique experience and a challenge against oneself and one's limits.

The 14th edition of TORX® is ready to raise the bar once again with a series of innovations, including the official certification of the trails by GARMIN and the brand-new web TV – TORX® LIVE, which will stream the race coverage 24/7.

Other highlights include a renewed commitment to environmental sustainability, including enhanced recycling efforts and actions against food waste, as well as the gathering of elite athletes participating in the four races.

INTRODUCING TORX® LIVE, THE LIVE STREAMING WEB TV

A new way to experience TORX® is about to come to life: TORX® LIVE is born, a comprehensive platform featuring interviews, live coverage along the course, trilingual commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, archival images, live arrivals and departures – everything needed to fully grasp every aspect of TORX® and live its emotions as if you were in the race.

Another media highlight this edition is the return of Top Italia Radio as the official voice of the event. You can tune in to the radio station in Valle D'Aosta and Canavese via FM (main frequencies are 98.2 and 97.9), on the web, or through a dedicated app.

TORX® IS BECOMING GREENER

Health, sports, and passion, along with environmental sustainability and the fight against food waste, have always been the TORX®'s commitments through projects (EcoLoTor), collaborations (DUNI, Cooperativa ERICA), and concrete actions in the area (Courmayeur Charter - Charter for Sustainable Sporting Events).

The goal is to emphasize the importance of environmental preservation by making temporary events like sports competitions ecologically sustainable. Only through a different and innovative operational strategy, focusing on the use of natural resources and the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, can we counteract the progressive environmental degradation.

TOR450 – TOR DES GLACIERS: EVERYONE AGAINST ROI SEBASTIEN

On the strictly sports front, the curtain for TORX® 2023 will rise on Friday, September 8th, at 8:00 PM from Courmayeur's Abbé Henry square with the start of TOR450 – Tor des Glaciers. 187 athletes from 38 nations will tackle the 450 kilometers of High Routes 3 and 4 in a unique and wild journey.

The race will feature two athletes who have made history in this competition, Sebastien Raichon and Luca Papi, along with other prominent athletes like Jules Henri, Candide Gabioud, Peter Kienzl, Tiaan Erwee, Paul Tierney, Marina Plavan, Amy Sproston, Sandrine Beranger, just to name a few.

TOR330 – TOR DES GÉANTS: A PARADE OF GIANTS

Just enough time to recover from the excitement and then witness a parade of stars: at 5:00 PM on Saturday, September 9th, at Jardin de l'Ange, the top runners of TOR330 – Tor des Géants® will be presented. Perhaps, never before has the lineup at the start made predictions so challenging. The rivalry that kept everyone glued to the live race coverage for two consecutive years between Jonas Russi and Franco Collé might be repeated. Simone Corsini, after winning the GTC100 in July, could be the third contender.

However, do not underestimate other competitors like Marco Gubert, Gianluca Galeati, Sangé Sherpa, Oliviero Bosatelli, Lawrence Eccles, Yamamoto Kenichi, Masahiro Ono, Martin Perrier, Damian Hall, Seth Swanson, Julien Chorier, Avery Collins, Ho Chung Wong, Danilo Lantermino, Galen Reynolds, Andrea Macchi, Takashi Doi. In the women's field, the favorite is last year's record-breaking winner Sabrina Verjee.

She will need to watch out for Alessandra Boifava, Jocelyne Pauly, Melissa Paganelli, Lisa Borzani, Sophie Grant, Anita Lehman, Elisabetta Negra, Katharina Hartmuth, Emma Stuart, Oksana Riabova, and others. They will all start in two waves (at 10 AM and 12 PM) on Sunday, September 10th, and we will find out how the competition unfolds before dawn on Wednesday the 13th.

TOR130 – TOT DRET: THE CHALLENGE IS OPEN

On Tuesday, September 12th, at 9:00 PM in Gressoney-Saint-Jean, the TOR130 – Tot Dret will begin. Among the favorites for the final victory are Italians Giovanni Paris and Daniel Jung, who will face off against the British runner Mark Darbyshire, the Spanish Diego Casabonne, and the Chinese Bai Hui.

In the women's competition, the Gran Trail Courmayeur standout Agnese Valz Gen, who finished second in the 55km race, will compete against Valdostan runner Katrin Bieler, who finished second in last year's TOR130.

THE RETURN OF TOR30 – PASSAGE AU MALATRÀ

After the 2022 edition was canceled due to snow, the great return of TOR30 – Passage au Malatrà will take place on Saturday, September 16th, at 10:00 AM in Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses. Among the men, the race will be wide open, with competition expected between the national mountain running champion Davide Cheraz, the 2021 TOR30 winner Sebastien Poesy, and the TOR130 winner of the past two years, Henri Grosjacques.

The runner Mattia Droz, from Aosta Valley, also on the podium in 2021, could be the dark horse. In the women's category, the spotlight will be on Giuditta Turini, provided she recovers from a troublesome bursitis that recently forced her to withdraw from some races, as well as Ukrainian Anna Darmograi and French runner Carine Loyer. The last runners are expected to arrive around 6:00 PM, followed by the closing awards ceremony on Sunday at Parco Bollino.

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