SKI MOUNTAINEERING. The Mezzalama Trophy Foundation with its president Giorgio Pession, its technical manager Adriano Favre and the meteorologist Luca Mercalli, is working to establish the new date of the “Glacier Marathon”, but the unstable situation, which persists in this period in the Rosà group of mountains, still does not allow for precise forecasts.

The Bulgarian ski mountaineer Ivona Mihaylova, who will be first and only Bulgarian participiant in Trofeo Mezzalama race, makes hight altitude trainings at the area of Monte Rosa massif. April 25, 2013 - "Even Mezzalama is postponed we have great time in the alps! Today Braithorn 4160 and Pollux 4090 :-)", Ivona tweeted. Photo: Ivona Mihaylova

For now, given that forecasts can be made for periods of up to five days, it is not possible to decide on the details. However in the next few days, with the consolidation of the numeric simulation we ather models, the most appropriate date for the event will be decided on, which could be between 2nd and 5th May. For this reason, only on 29th April, based on the new data, will it be possible for the Foundation to establish a new date for the 19th edition.

Photo: Trofeo Mezzalama

Luca Mercalli provides the following analysis of the situation, “An active disturbance in the Mediterranean will begin to influence Mount Rosà on Friday 26th April during the day channelling humid currents from the southeast, and between the night and the morning of Saturday 27 – the period in which the start of the Mezzalama is planned – will bring from 30 to 50 centimetres of fresh snow to the high valleys of Gressoney and Ayas.

In these conditions it is not possible to guarantee the safety of the athletes and the technical personnel, both because of lack of visibility and because of the danger of avalanches in the exposed areas.

In the following days the meteorological situation of the western Alps will remain unstable and depressed: new fronts, even if weaker, are expected from 1st May, with Mount Rosà nearly always immersed in fog and intermittent snow falls.

April 24, 2013 - "Great sunny day, Pyramide de Vincent 4215m, with my czech teammate Karolina Grohova :-)", Photo: Ivona Mihaylova

From Thursday 2nd May the expansion of the Atlantic anticyclone will direct dry winds from the northeast onto the Rosà range, which will calm the skies.
Eighty years ago, when weather forecasts were almost inexistent, the Mezzalama was undertaken “in the dark”, with a few teams leaving when the sun came out, and the risk of meeting worsening conditions.

Today with forecasts that allow medium-term planning, it is important to assure athletes wide margins of security, and assistance and rescue facilities at high altitudes, which is always a severe environment.

by Trofeo Mezzalama
Fri, April 26, 2013 4:26 pm

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