The second edition of the Run Ex Alto Trophy, a military-style running competition promoted by the Associazione Nazionale Paracadutisti d'Italia within the Marcialonga Running Coop, was presented in the Press Room of the Chamber of Deputies, at Palazzo Montecitorio.
The initiative was hosted thanks to the availability of the honorable Paola Chiesa, a member of the Defense Commission of the Chamber, who welcomed the request of the ANPd'I.
The race will take place on September 5, 2026 along the Marcialonga Running route, between Moena and Cavalese, crossing the Fiemme and Fassa valleys.
A military-style relay
The Run Ex Alto Trophy is a relay competition reserved for military personnel, members of the Police Forces, and members of the Armed Associations recognized by the Ministry of Defense.
Competitors will tackle the course wearing operational suits and carrying a weighted backpack. A challenging test, designed to evoke values such as physical preparation, discipline, sacrifice, team spirit, and the ability to operate as a team.
The event is born from the collaboration between the ANPd'I and Marcialonga, two entities united by a vision of sport as a tool for aggregation, training, and transmission of values.
During the presentation, the Secretary General of the ANPd'I, Brigadier General (retired) Enrico Pollini, a historical figure of the Folgore and the 186th Paratroopers Regiment, recalled how the Association preserves the history and traditions of military parachuting, passing them on to new generations also through sports activities.
According to Pollini, the figure of the paratrooper represents the meeting between individual choice and the ability to put one's qualities at the service of the group. Discipline, camaraderie, and team spirit thus become fundamental elements for achieving a common goal.
Particularly significant was the moment of the gift exchange. General Pollini presented the honorable Paola Chiesa with a splendid photograph of the launch tower of the first National Parachuting School, established in Tarquinia in 1939. A tribute with strong historical and symbolic value, linked to the origins of Italian military parachuting.
The collaboration with Marcialonga
The president of Marcialonga, Tiziano Romito, illustrated the history and growth of the event, which has become, in over fifty years of activity, an internationally recognized sporting event and an important tool for promoting the Fiemme and Fassa valleys.
The Secretary General of Marcialonga, Davide Stoffie, highlighted the complexity of the event's organizational machinery, supported by the collaboration between 16 municipalities, over 1,500 volunteers, associations, institutions, and law enforcement agencies.
In 2025, the three events organized by Marcialonga recorded a total of 11,857 participants, of which 2,128 attended the Marcialonga Running Coop. For the 2026 edition, registrations are already up by 40 percent compared to the previous year.
The Run Ex Alto Trophy thus fits within an already established event, further strengthening the traditional bond between Marcialonga, the military world, and the Alpine Schools.
Sport, preparation, and spirit of service
The director of the ANPd'I Sports Center, Nicola Trusiani, emphasized the role of sport in promoting associative values and the physical preparation necessary for the practice of parachuting of military interest.
The goal is to progressively expand participation in the Run Ex Alto Trophy, allowing an increasing number of competitors to learn about the activities, values, and potential of the Associazione Nazionale Paracadutisti d'Italia.
The deputy director of the Sports Center, Wiliam Sanna, illustrated the technical aspects of the competition, defining it as an opportunity for meeting between military personnel, members of the Police Forces, and members of the Armed Associations, united by a passion for sport and the service rendered in uniform.
The ambition is to transform the Run Ex Alto Trophy into a stable and representative event for all those who wear, or have worn, the uniform in the service of Italy.
The parachutists' demonstration jump
The day of September 5 will also be enriched by a demonstration jump by the ANPd'I parachutists.
At 16:35, at the "Benatti" stadium in Moena, the parachutists will fly the flags of the Associazione Nazionale Paracadutisti d'Italia, Marcialonga, and the sponsors of the initiative.
A moment of strong symbolic value, destined to unite the aviolancistic tradition of the ANPd'I with the sporting and international character of the Marcialonga Running.
The charitable purpose
The event will also have an important charitable component. At the time of registration, each competitor can allocate a portion of the participation fee to one of the charitable organizations indicated by the organizers.
Among the beneficiaries of the 2026 edition is the Opera Nazionale di Assistenza per gli Orfani e i Militari di Carriera dell'Esercito, thus offering participants the opportunity to concretely support a historic welfare institution linked to the Italian Army.
Representatives of ASSOARMA, ONAOMCE, and numerous Armed Associations also attended the presentation at Montecitorio.
The second edition of the Run Ex Alto Trophy is thus preparing to unite sport, military traditions, solidarity, and team spirit in the setting of the Marcialonga Running and the Trentino Dolomites.
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