Andrea Mayr, Scout Adkin, Philemon Kiriago and Andrea Elia are among the entries for this weekend’s big event
After an exciting launch event for the 2025 World Cup at Zmeu X-Fest in Romania we now head to the more familiar ground of Casto in Italy for the next races in the WMRA Mountain Running World Cup series.
The athletes will battle it out in front of the spectacular backdrop of the Italian Alps at Vertical Nasego and Trofeo Nasego this weekend (May 24-25).
Casto is in the beautiful province of Brescia in the Lombardy region and the runners are guaranteed a rich cultural experience, as well as a stunning but tough courses. Dating back to medieval times, Casto is famous for its cobbled streets, traditional stone houses, Romanesque churches and local cuisine.
Nestled in the Valsabbia valley, Casto was a crossroads for trade and military routes through the centuries. It is these ancient routes, which once connected villages, that the runners will now retrace. The famous Parco delle Fucine, a remnant of the historical ironworks, now attracts people for its via ferrata, caves and gorges. It’s a town that has, over many hundreds of years, combined rich history and traditions with a passion for running and other outdoor pursuits.
Established in 2002, the Nasego races have played a major role in this and it’s hard to imagine a better location for a World Cup race. With a top international field, including Andrea Mayr, Scout Adkin, Philemon Kiriago and Andrea Elia, and a double header of racing, Casto is sure to deliver an unforgettable weekend.
Starting in Casto on Saturday May 24, the runners will begin climbing on roads and good trails as the course ascends gradually. But then the race really begins and the route becomes steeper and more technical as it winds its way up past Rifugio Nasego (at 1270m) to the eventual finish at Corna di Savallo at 1436m, 4.2km later.
On Sunday May 25 the runners will take on a 20.6km course with 1330m of ascent, which has a lot of fast, runnable sections but one very notable climb. From the start in Casto at 400m it climbs slowly for the first 6km, before flattening off for 6km, then comes the big climb up of around 750m up to Rifugio Nasego, before a long descent down to Famea for the finish.
In both Vertical and Trofeo Nasego the women’s and men’s line-ups are incredibly strong.
In Saturday’s Vertical Nasego all eyes will be on Andrea Mayr (Hoolirun), who has won five times here, alongside an…
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