At 7:00 PM on May 2, 2013, the fourth season of the Off-Road Running Exchange event concluded successfully at the 8000M Outdoor Themed Restaurant in Beijing. Franco Colle, an international off-road runner from Italy’s Tecnica team and the fifth-place finisher in the 2012 Tor des Géants (330km), personally explained the experience of long-distance trail running and how to overcome mental challenges. He also answered numerous professional trail running questions from attendees. The event attracted over 70 running enthusiasts and more than 10 media outlets.
At the end of the lecture, Chinese trail running enthusiasts took group photos with the “giants” from Italy, and prizes donated by sponsors ISPO BEIJING, Actionfox, Mico, and the Aosta Valley Regional Tourism Board were given out in a lucky draw. We also thank them for their strong support of this event.
Franco Colle:
2012 Tor des Géants 330km race — 5th place, finishing time: 84 hours, 15 minutes, 59 seconds (completed 330km)
The “Tor des Géants” takes place in the mountainous region of northern Italy near the Rhône-Alpes area of France. This area is entirely mountainous and a paradise for nature, skiing, trekking, and mountaineering enthusiasts. The four highest peaks in Italy—Mont Blanc (4807m), Monte Rosa (4637m), Cervino (4478m), and Gran Paradiso (4061m)—all lie along the race route. As one of the world’s top off-road running events, the Tor des Géants is now in its fourth year, featuring a 330-kilometer course with a total elevation gain of 24,000 meters, crossing 25 mountain passes, and with a 150-hour cutoff time. This year, Tecnica continues to support Chinese trail runners by selecting four Chinese “Giants”—Zeng Huafeng, Wang Daqing, Jin Feibao, and Chen Shuwen—to participate. Since the announcement of the participants in early March, they have been undergoing rigorous adjustments and training, and are fully confident for the upcoming Tor des Géants adventure.