On the Foyer de Fonde's slopes victory of the italian team and of Soyer and Kaltenecker from the german team

(Flassin, March 21^st, 2010). It's Sunday, March 21^st . It's 10.04 am, Flassin. They are historical date and time for the Winter Military World Games which mark the very first victory of the event. The Italian athletes of the Army Sport Center, Manfred Reichegger and Dennis Brunod arrive at the first place at the finish line of the Foyer de Fond and win the world championship for ski mountaineering. As far as women are concerned, the victory goes to the German Beate Soyter and Simone Kaltenecker.

Weather conditions decidedly did not help the organizers; rain, snow mixed with rain in the hours which preceded the start and during the half an hour race. Then, the sky slowly opens, but still clouds remain in the highest zones, the wind strongly blows and the wet snow makes the race even harder. Ready, go! and the two alpine soldiers composed by Dennis Brunod from Aosta Valley and Manfred Reichegger from South Tyrole are already ahead giving pace, a pace unsustainable for the others; lead is already significant at the first time check at the 2005 mt. high Citrin di mezzo where only the French Tony Sbalbi and Yann Gachet keep the pace, following the Italian team.

The gap widens more and more as the climb gets harder; at Colle della Valletta (2701 mt.) the gap is more than 2', on the podium the third place goes to Norwegian Ola Berger and Ova Eirik Tronvoll. Next, a rapid downhill run towards Citrin superiore (2348 mt.) and then the last arduous uphill towards Mont Flassin (2772 mt.), during which the athletes have to walk, with skis hung to sacks. Since the initial positions remain the same, Brunod-Reichegger face the long downhill run towards the finish line without any worry. Little less than 10' to cover 1500 mt of difference of height and then the solo arrival at Foyer de Fond in Flassin: 1h 34' 38'' this is the time the two alpines needed to obtain the first gold medal of the first edition of the Winter Military World Games.

5' 42'' 1 behind the Italian team arrive the French Tony Sbalbi and Yann Gachet (1h 40' 20'') and the third place goes to Norwegian Ola Berger and Ova Eirik Tronvoll (1h 49' 30''). Fourth place for German Jorg Woitek and Alexander Schuster (1h 50' 58''), welcomed by a dedicated TV crew and by their superior officers, fifth place for Romanian Silviu Manea and Lucian Clinciu. The Dutch Jan Willem Van Dijk and Tjarko Leungen were highly applauded at their arrival, obtaining the ninth and last place in the world championship with a gap of 1h 50' 01'' from the winning two, they arrived to the finish line with a total time of 3h 24' 39''. The two athletes were smiling at the finish line, confirming that in Holland is very difficult to train for ski mountaineering since they have no mountains where they can do that.

As far as women are concerned, only one team took part at the competition, the German team composed by Beate Soyter and Simone Kaltenecker, which obtained a total time of 3h 03' 48'', but dedicated cameras were present also for them and they received many compliments from the German delegation.

A lot of people and many applause for the flower ceremony, with the presence of the regional councillor for sport, Aurelio Marguerettaz.