Andrea Mayr, Scout Adkin, Philemon Kiriago and Andrea Elia are among the entries for this weekend’s big event
After an exciting launch event for the 2025 World Cup at Zmeu X-Fest in Romania we now head to the more familiar ground of Casto in Italy for the next races in the WMRA Mountain Running World Cup series.
The athletes will battle it out in front of the spectacular backdrop of the Italian Alps at Vertical Nasego and Trofeo Nasego this weekend (May 24-25).
Casto is in the beautiful province of Brescia in the Lombardy region and the runners are guaranteed a rich cultural experience, as well as a stunning but tough courses. Dating back to medieval times, Casto is famous for its cobbled streets, traditional stone houses, Romanesque churches and local cuisine.
Nestled in the Valsabbia valley, Casto was a crossroads for trade and military routes through the centuries. It is these ancient routes, which once connected villages, that the runners will now retrace. The famous Parco delle Fucine, a remnant of the historical ironworks, now attracts people for its via ferrata, caves and gorges. It’s a town that has, over many hundreds of years, combined rich history and traditions with a passion for running and other outdoor pursuits.
Established in 2002, the Nasego races have played a major role in this and it’s hard to imagine a better location for a World Cup race. With a top international field, including Andrea Mayr, Scout Adkin, Philemon Kiriago and Andrea Elia, and a double header of racing, Casto is sure to deliver an unforgettable weekend.
Starting in Casto on Saturday May 24, the runners will begin climbing on roads and good trails as the course ascends gradually. But then the race really begins and the route becomes steeper and more technical as it winds its way up past Rifugio Nasego (at 1270m) to the eventual finish at Corna di Savallo at 1436m, 4.2km later.
On Sunday May 25 the runners will take on a 20.6km course with 1330m of ascent, which has a lot of fast, runnable sections but one very notable climb. From the start in Casto at 400m it climbs slowly for the first 6km, before flattening off for 6km, then comes the big climb up of around 750m up to Rifugio Nasego, before a long descent down to Famea for the finish.
In both Vertical and Trofeo Nasego the women’s and men’s line-ups are incredibly strong.
In Saturday’s Vertical Nasego all eyes will be on Andrea Mayr (Hoolirun), who has won five times here, alongside an endless list of palmares. Scout Adkin (HOKA EU), last year’s women’s World Cup champion and fresh from a victory at Zmeu X-Fest, will be attempting to break Mayr’s grip on this race, as will Philaries Kisang (Run2gether), who was runner-up to Mayr at the World Championships. The young Italian Benedetta Broggi (Sportproject VCO) could also be one to watch in this contest.
In the men’s vertical race the defending champion, Patrick Kipngeno, will not take part but a whole host of Italian short uphill specialists, including Henri Aymonod (The North Face), who has won here twice, Andrea Elia (La Recastello Radici Group), Italian VK champion for the last three years, and Andrea Rostan (Atletica Saluzzo). But talented Kenyan athletes Philemon Kiriago and Richard Atuya (both Run2gether) could well challenge here too.
The racing heats up again on Sunday with Trofeo Nasego. Joyce Muthoni Njeru (Atletica Saluzzo) will be attempting to defend her title, but we saw during the 2024 World Cup how closely matched Njeru and Scout Adkin are at this distance, which sets up an enticing women’s competition. Add in former winners Andrea Mayr and Alice Gaggi (La Recastello Radici Group) and it looks sure to be a great race. Valentine Jepkoech Rutto (Atletica Saluzzo), Norwegian athlete Eli Anne Dvergsdal and Simone Troxler (ALTRA) could also be athletes to watch.
For the men Philemon Kiriago will be attempting to defend his title but the competition will be fierce. Our men’s winner from Zmeu X-Fest, Paul Machoka (Atletica Saluzzo), will be looking to repeat that recent success, alongside other strong Kenyan runners, Michael Saoli (Run2gether), Kevin Kibet (Atletica Saluzzo) and Richard Atuya. Of course there is a strong Italian contingent here too, including Xavier Chevrier (ASICS), Alberto Vender (New Balance) and Henri Aymonod.
Others to watch include British runners Robbie Simpson (Adidas Terrex) and George Foster, as well as the French athlete, Baptiste Massot (Clermont Athletisme Auvergne).
How to follow the race
The women’s Vertical Nasego race starts at 10am on Saturday May 24, with the men starting at 10.45am. On Sunday 25 the Trofeo Nasego starts at 9.30am. You can follow Trofeo Nasego and WMRA social media channels for up-to-date information and imagery.
For further updates and race details, visit wmra.info and Trofeo Nasego Corsa in Montagna – Pucia la Nasego!
