Covering 3.7 km with 1,000 metres of vertical gain, the race is now part of the VK Open Championships and will award valuable points for the global circuit. In the afternoon, the spotlight will shift to the youngest participants with the Adamello Trail Junior
After months of preparation, it is finally time to raise the curtain. On Sunday, September 14th, the Adamello Ultra Trail 2025 program begins with the Adamello Series – a label that brings together events originally conceived as side races but which have rapidly grown in popularity among athletes and fans, earning certified international race status.
The Adamello Vertical Kilometer, now in its third edition, offers three formats: Competitive, Slow and Junior. The first two cover 3.7 km with 1,000 metres of ascent, starting in the heart of Vione in Alta Valle Camonica and finishing at the archaeological site of Tor dei Pagà (2,250 m). The Junior race measures 3 km with 700 m of elevation gain. Past winners include Marcello Ugazio and Davide Magnini among the men, Corinna Ghirardi, and newly crowned European VK champion Benedetta Broggi. Both Magnini and Ghirardi will be once again at the start line of the event.
The 2025 novelty is the official certification by the International Skyrunning Federation and inclusion in the VK Open Championships, where the Adamello Vertical Kilometer serves as the final stage before the grand finale in Bulgaria on October 18th. This upgrade has drawn competitors from across the globe, with entries from Ireland, Slovenia, Germany, Russia (under neutral flag), and as far away as Japan.
In the men’s race, series leader Aleksei Pagnuev will try to defend his position on the trails of the Pontedilegno-Tonale area. Among his challengers is Japan’s Suguru Inui, currently sitting in fourth place: “This is my first time in Italy. I feel strong, the shape is good, and I’m aiming for victory.”
Japan will also be represented in the women’s race by Yuki Ikegami, chasing points to break back into the top ten. The current ninth overall is Italy’s Corinna Ghirardi – winner of the very first edition and a member of the national team – who will be racing on home soil.
The Vertical events get underway at 8:45 a.m. in Piazza Vittoria, Vione, with the start of the Vertical Slow, followed at 9:00 by the Elite race and at 9:30 by the Junior, which once again will feature a large group from the Italian Skyrunning Federation (FISKY). The award ceremonies will take place at Tor dei Pagà, before returning to the village centre for the afternoon Adamello Trail Junior, a much-loved event for children up to 14 years of age, with loops designed according to each age group.
“We are extremely satisfied with our events, which are always more popular among italian and international athletes”, said the organizers of Adamello Ultra Trail A.S.D.
In less than two weeks, from September 26th to 28th, it will then be time for the main event: the four Adamello Ultra Trail distances – 35, 60, 100 and 170 km – ready to take centre stage and deliver another unforgettable weekend of trail running in the Italian Alps.
