The 2013 Benchmark: Canazei’s Invisible Frontier
Ten years after Kilian Jornet stopped the clock at 2:00:11, the ghost of that course record returns to haunt the 22 kilometers of the DoloMyths Run Skyrace. This week, the Fassa Valley isn’t just preparing for a race; it’s bracing for a technical assault where the world’s elite aim to break the psychological two-hour barrier on the most vertiginous descent of the international circuit. The burning question in the Canazei trail community is whether the terrain will be compact enough after the summer storms to allow for that suicidal pace from the summit of Piz Boè.
Sunday, July 12th, will be the main event, but the tension has been building since the festival’s start. Friday’s Vertical Kilometer will serve as a real litmus test to gauge the form of specialists on the 'wall' of Crepa Neigra. With 1,000 meters of elevation gain packed into just 2.6 kilometers, there is no room for tactics: it’s a pure lactic acid agony where Philip Götsch’s record (32:38) seems more threatened than ever by a new generation of runners prioritizing raw power over long-distance endurance.
Mastering Technical Terrain
For those seeking marathon glory, the 42-kilometer DoloMyths Run Fassa Trail offers a leg-breaker course that has become even more grueling this year due to single-track sections loosened by recent erosion. This is no distance for novices; the 2,150 meters of total ascent demand impeccable pacing to avoid hitting the wall in the final five kilometers, where the Trentino heat typically punishes those who haven't mastered their hydration. Meanwhile, the 12K Trail is set to be the ideal stage for explosive runners looking for fast transitions and high heart rates from the very first meter.
The true strategic battle will unfold in the Skyrace. The passage through Forcella Pordoi will be the judge: if the lead group crowns the summit with enough of a gap, the technical descent back to Canazei will be a display of blind faith in shoe grip. Veterans know that here, the race is won on the climb, but lost on the descent if the quads blow up before hitting the final asphalt stretch.