Nadia Battocletti conquered the 68th Campaccio, not only a world-class race but also an opportunity to spread universal values that go far beyond the simple athletic act. According to the organizers, the presence of Mapei Sport as an official partner enriched the 2025 edition, which wanted to formally embrace the theme of sustainability.
The talk by Andrea Bosio, head of scientific research at the Varese-based center, during the seminar on Sunday, Jan. 5, was an extraordinarily interesting and enriching moment for all present. The in-depth discussion on the topic of endurance athlete assessment, with a focus on the effect of environmental temperatures on performance and laboratory testing, offered a unique perspective on the importance of an informed and scientific approach to sports practice.
January 6th 2025 represented a cornerstone in the nearly 70-year journey of the event at the time when the “usual” pillars of the event (performance and sport culture) were definitely chosen to be combined with a third pillar: sustainability. The 68th edition espoused the usual idea of excellence in performance, emblematically represented by the victory of Olympian Nadia Battocletti, the first Italian to return to the top step of the podium after 31 years.
The lawns of the Alberti Sports Center were trodden by 3,000 people in the three scheduled sports events: about 200 participants in the non-competitive charity events on January 5 (Campaccio POP 5k and Nordic Walking), 23 girls and boys with intellectual-relational disabilities in the “Chilometro Inclusivo,” more than 1,900 athlete/s in the international competitions on January 6-from the very young beginners to the masters 80+, passing by the champions of the World Athletics Gold Level trials, almost 900 athlete/s in the CSI Regional Championships on January 12.
The promotion of sports culture was confirmed as a must for the Italian cross country event with the high-profile technical seminar “Run like Hell: climate extremes and endurance performance”, which also touches on environmental sensitivities, and with initiatives on gender equality (in and through sports) scheduled in local schools in January. Starting with this edition, Campaccio has decided to systematize the numerous social responsibility actions carried out over the years, evolving its commitment toward the formalization of its Sustainability Plan, in compliance with the provisions of the Sustainability Strategy of the World Athletics Federation-Athletics for a Better World. Sports events play a crucial role in promoting sustainability, , not only because they can directly reduce their environmental impact, but in parallel because they represent powerful platforms for raising awareness and social change.
Campaccio is committed to generating a positive impact on the well-being of people and the planet and – without presumption – tries to be a model for other athletics events that want to take up the challenge of sustainability. Mapei Sport is proud to run alongside it.
photo ©Sportmedia.es for ©Campaccio