San Cassiano Dolomites Uphill Ski Rando Race

The Piz Sorega Finish Line

Ski Rando Fun Racing

If you have come to this post looking for pro work of a ski rando race, you are about to find yourself disappointed. Rather, this is a quick summary of one of the countless night ski rando races in Europe. In my ongoing quest to introduce ths sport to Americans, it is time to show the simple fun of the experience.

Imagine this. It’s Friday night, get off work, zip yourself into your one piece skin suit, head to tram station for the start of an uphill ski rando race, race, suffer, finish at mountaintop tram station/mountain hut – eat pasta, drink beer and party. Once finished, zip up skin suit, turn on headlamp, descend piste to car.

Fun.

Last Friday was just such a race in what is arguably one of the Dolomite’s nicest mountain villages, San Cassiano in Alta Badia. For me, this was one of the first races I was actually prepared for and willing to go 100%. At approximately 4km long and 500 meters up, one thing was certain – the start was going to be madness. These races are typically held on ski runs at night with torches lining the course, all making for an eery nighttime experience. Throw in heavy snowfall and you have the making for a kind of surreal event.

The start was, as expected, a violent explosion. Within the first minute another racer bobbled into me and broke my ski pole. Shit. I jumped off to the side, waited for everyone to go by, picked up the bottom half of the pole, and like a one armed man set off in pursuit. After 30 minutes of pain, cheering fans, and ringing cowbells, it was done. I managed 16th out of 150 and was a happy little American in my new land.

With my heart rate still pounding I grabbed a camera from my race bag and tried to document the scene to share how it all looks. My visiting friend Brandyn Roark Gray came in shortly thereafter and as soon as her own heart rate had settled down had the simple, but ever so accurate quote of, “That was RAD!”.

Proudly, we marched into the hut, each of us finishing as the Top (and only) Americans.

________________________________

I will be shooting, and not competing in, the upcoming Sellaronda Ski Marathon in early March – from this I will post images to show the racing

Dan Patitucci and Brandyn Roark Gray before the start

The Women's Badia Sport Sci Alpinismo Team

Too much beer or too much effort?

Upcoming Olympian? 12 years old and competing with the adults

Where else can you wear a one piece lycra suit and dance to traditional Tirol folk music? Dan Patitucci stepping up to sing a favorite song.

Dan's heart rate monitor data: 188 average for 32 minutes, max 196. SUFFERING as a graph