July 28, 2010 (Livigno, Italy) – It seems cross-training races are in vogue this summer. North American ski racers are lacing up running and cycling shoes just about every other week and the same holds true across the pond. The most recent dominance by a Nordic athlete came in the form of Marianna Longa, who won the Stralivigno 21km cross-country running competition for the third consecutive year. Longa, however, is no stranger to cross-discipline races. This year’s Stralivigno win marked her fifth win in the race’s eleven-year history, a nice record to hold for the Italian national ski team member.

The Stralivigno is a hugely popular cross-country running event, held in the resort town of Livigno, in northern Italy. Many North American ski racers will be familiar with its winding roads, beautiful vistas and a plethora of ski runs. It’s a favourite training venue for athletes just prior to many European race tours.

The eleventh edition of the Stralivigno running race saw Longa in great shape dominating the field with a clear margin over Ivana Iozzia in second place while Elena Casaro was third. Check out this interesting video put together by the race organizers.

http://www.stralivigno.it/home.jsp?idrub=44894

With files from stralivigno.it