12 hours to the start of the 7th edition of the The North Face® Lavaredo Ultra Trail. The best international athletes will compete for the final victory.

Yesterday afternoon Alexander Hall in Cortina d’Ampezzo opened its doors to the athletes of the North Face® Lavaredo Ultra Trail. The red and blue of the event’s logo colour the streets of the centre of the Queen of the Dolomites and the preparation of Corso Italia, where the race leaves from, is almost finished.
Today at 11 pm, 800 athletes will leave, to face 118 kilometres with a climb of 5,700 metres, with 32 nations represented. It is very difficult to make a prediction for the victory because, in contrast to the last edition, there is no real favourite as Iker Karrera was in 2012.
Among the international athletes we have Mike Wolfe, winner of the North Face® Endurance Challenge in 2011 who could make a winning attempt on the paths of the Dolomites of the Lavaredo Ultra Trail. A place on the podium could be within Christian Insam’s reach, after the fifth placing of last year and the excellent performance in the Transvulcania he could give Iturrieta, Gault, Foote, and Wolfe something to think about. Emmanuel Gault, even if he is not in top form, could be the unrivalled champion of this skyline crossing. Of the other athletes of the North Face® team there is Zigor Iturrieta, second in 2011 and fourth in 2012. The Spaniard is looking for revenge. The American Mike Foote is considered to be an outsider, third in the UTMB in 2012, he could be the real surprise of this Lavaredo Ultra Trail. Of the Italians, let’s not forget Daniele Palladino, specialist of ultra trails on asphalt, he is the Italian, who if he knows how to adapt to the paths of the Dolomites, could aim for a high placing. At the starting line there will be the other Italian athletes: Stefano Trisconi and Sergio Vallosio, and an eye should be kept on the two foresters Eugen Innerkofler and Ivano Molin, fresh from dominating the Dolomiti Extreme, they live just a few kilometres away and know the paths of the Lut well.
Of the women, the bookmakers specialized in the ultra trails are giving the Italian Federica Boifava as favourite, but Beth Cardelli, surely, with her 6 victories and a second place in the last seven ultra trails, will be laughing. Fernanda Maciel, first in 2011 and a second place last year, even if the beginning of the season for her has been a bit under par, she could be on the look out for her second win.
The diary appointments for the next few hours are the collection of the bib numbers from 10 am to 7 pm with the opening times of Expo, and the Pasta Party, from 7 pm in the Revis gym. The technical briefing, an obligatory event for the athletes, is programmed for 6 pm in the Teatro Alexander Hall in Cortina.
The start of the North Face® Lavaredo Ultra Trail is set for 11 pm from Corso Italia, while the Cortina Trail will also leave from Corso Italia, but at 8 o’clock on Saturday morning.
The arrival of the first competitor of the long race is foreseen for 11.30 while the winner of the Cortina Trail should arrive at about 12.30.

Friday, June 28, 2013
10:00 Expo and bib number collection opening (Teatro Alexander Hall/Cortina)
18:00 Briefing for athletes at Teatro Alexander Hall/Cortina
19:00 Expo and bib number collection closing (Teatro Alexander Hall/Cortina)
19:00/21:00 Pasta-party reserved for athletes attending The North Face® Lavaredo Ultra Trail at Palestra Revis/Cortina
22:00 Starting area: The North Face® Lavaredo Ultra Trail athletes meeting at Piazza Dibona/Cortina
23:00 Starting of The North Face® Lavaredo Ultra Trail 2013

Saturday, June 29, 2013
06:00/07:00 Bib number collection for Cortina Trail runners (Teatro Alexander Hall/Cortina)
07:00 Starting area: Cortina Trail athletes meeting at Piazza Dibona/Cortina
08:00 Starting of Cortina Trail 2013
11:30 Arrival of first male athlete running The North Face® Lavaredo Ultra Trail
12:30 Arrival of first Cortina Trail male finisher
13:30 Arrival of first Cortina Trail female finisher
15:00 Arrival of first female athlete running The North Face® Lavaredo Ultra Trail
20:00 Last arrival of Cortina Trail athletes

Sunday, June 30, 2013
06:00 Last arrival of The North Face® Lavaredo Ultra Trail runners
11:00 The North Face® Lavaredo Ultra Trail and Cortina Trail prize giving at Piazza Dibona/Cortina

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