Alpine Skiingthe youth event
Pinocchio sugli Sci
The great youth event has been launched in the Tuscany Region, which has already started with the zonal events of last weekend. Many stages for the review that has revealed to the world some of the greatest champions of the white circus.
Tuesday 11 January 2022 19 minutes reading time
The winter season 2021/2022 started in the best possible way, with abundant snowfall throughout Italy and a great desire to return to skiing after months away from the slopes, and "Pinocchio Sugli Sci", the youth festival of alpine skiing among the five most important in the world, a special edition: number 40!
It was the beginning of the Eighties when all kinds of initiatives were organized all over the world to celebrate the centenary of the publication of "The Adventures of Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi: among the many cultural events there was also one of a sporting nature, a competition slalom and giant slalom reserved for children between the ages of seven and fourteen. It was conceived by the Pinocchio Ski Club of Pescia in collaboration with the Carlo Collodi National Foundation, the tourist and institutional bodies of the area. It was the very first edition of Pinocchio Sugli Sci, which four decades later continues to pay homage to the most famous puppet in the world and does so in grand style, involving thousands of both Italian and foreign athletes every year.
Pinocchio Sugli Sci is today one of the most famous and renowned sporting events on the planet, but it is much more. "Pinocchio is now part of Italian ski history, but it also represents a moment of growth for many young athletes who for the first time approach competitions in a high-level competitive context", says Franco Giachini, president of the Pinocchio Ski Club and patron of the event. "Little skiers who sometimes become great champions, as it was for Sofia Goggia, Federica Brignone, Lara Gut, Marta Bassino, Francesca Marsaglia, Irene Curtoni, Elena Curtoni, Petra Vlhova, Ilka Stuhec, Eva Maria Brem, Anna Veith-Fenninger, Viktoria Rebensburg, Clément Noel, Tina Weirather, Henrik Kristoffersen, Nina Loeseth, Ivica Kostelic, Janica Kostelic, Max Blardone, Marcel Hirscher and many other protagonists of the white circus of today and yesterday ".
It is no coincidence that in 2017 the Tuscany Region awarded the FISI Tuscan Regional Committee the prestigious Pegaso per lo Sport award, awarded "for the work done in favor of youth sport, especially for the organization of Pinocchio Sugli Sci". The Region hosted the presentation of the 40th edition on Monday, moderated by Stefano Baragli. The President of the Tuscany Region, Eugenio Giani, long-time supporter of the event, declared: “Pinocchio is now an integral part of the Italian sporting tradition and represents an opportunity for growth for many young skiers. Tuscany must be proud that this important event, which now takes place in all the major Italian ski resorts, was conceived in our territory, in our mountains, four decades ago. It is an event that, over time, has launched many athletes who in several cases have become great champions and which has established itself as the only one of its kind worldwide ".
"The Pistoia mountains are ready to welcome Pinocchio Sugli Sci - added the councilor for tourism Leonardo Marras - which, in addition to being an opportunity for fun in the name of one of the most known and loved fictional characters in the world, will be also a large showcase to attract many young skiers to the area together with their teams and families. A great opportunity to help revive the mountain economy. The resources made available by the State and the Region to support the mountain have been useful in avoiding the collapse. The Region has provided a further 3.8 million to relaunch investments and improve the "offer on the ski slopes".
Pinocchio Sugli Sci is yes sport, but it is also an event with a strong economic capacity, which manages to bring every year a huge induced both on the Pistoia Mountains and in the beautiful ski resorts that host the numerous zonal selections every year, over 20 for the little ones. skiers from all over Italy competing for access to the week of National Finals at Abetone. The 40th edition of Pinocchio Sugli Sci officially kicked off on Saturday 8 January 2022 with the zonal selection competitions scheduled in Tesido (Bolzano) and will continue in the following weeks with the giant slalom tests in the categories U9, U10, U11, U12, U14 and U16 in Courmayeur, Zoncolan, Sarius di Sopra, Ponte di Legno, Prato Nevoso, Santa Caterina, Passo San Pellegrino, Sassonetto - Passo Maddalena, Monte Pora, Nova Levante, Roccaraso, Bardonecchia, San Vito di Cadore, Monte Campione, Gambarie d''Aspromonte, Cerreto, Piana di Vigezzo, Abetone, Monte Verena, Bardonecchia, Selvino, Campitello Matese, Tarvisio, Sappada and Piancavallo.
From 27 March to 1 April 2022 the traditional appointment with the National and International Finals will be staged at Abetone, organized in collaboration with SAF - Società Abetone Funivie and the Municipality of Abetone Cutigliano. More than 1700 young athletes will take part in the National Phase, the qualified of the zonal selections from all over Italy, who will compete to win the coveted Pinocchio d'Oro, awarded to the winners of the Baby and Cuccioli categories, and for the older ones. of the Boys and Students categories a place in Team Italy and a mention in the prestigious Pinocchio Roll of Gold.
The International Finals which traditionally attract the best skiers of the Junior and Student categories from all over the world to Abetone are being defined. The International Phase in the past years has hosted an average of 30/35 foreign nationals: in order to create a Final totally in line with the anti-Covid regulations, the hospitality of foreign athletes is being organized with all the necessary precautions . More info will follow in the coming weeks.
From this year, the Official Charity Partner of the event is Dynamo Camp, a non-profit organization that offers free Recreational Therapy programs to children and young people with serious or chronic diseases and their families. Activities are offered at Dynamo Camp, a wonderful place located in Limestre (Pistoia), on the edge of a WWF affiliated Oasis, and in hospitals, associations and Dynamo City Camps in numerous cities. In particular, 2 euros will be donated to Dynamo Camp for each entry to the selections and 4 euros for each entry to the Final. Dynamo staff and volunteers will be present at all stages to make the project known. “Thanks to Pinocchio Sugli Sci for supporting Dynamo Camp in a concrete way, helping to make the project known to a wide audience”, said Serena Porcari, CEO of Dynamo Camp. “We feel a strong consonance with Pinocchio Sugli Sci, which like Dynamo reaches children and young people on the Italian territory. Sporting activity is also central to the Dynamo program, with an approach without competition but aimed at entertaining and giving confidence in oneself and one's abilities ".
For the eighth consecutive year, Enel confirms itself as sponsor of Pinocchio Sugli Sci, which in this 40th year takes on an even more important significance also for its attention to environmental sustainability, through the synergy between energy and sport: "The support of the Group Enel at the event - said Emiliano Maratea, Enel's institutional affairs and sustainability representative for Tuscany and Umbria - derives from a common vision of the future that speaks to young people and to the world. With this initiative we promote dialogue on the theme of sport but also of the environment, on which the future of our planet depends. The time we live in, today more than ever, makes us understand that we are all interdependent. This is a real lesson in planetary sustainability from which no one can call themselves out. This is why the change, which was already taking place, can and must accelerate. In this case too, a decisive push, like on skis, can come from the younger generations ".
According to Enel, the sustainable approach is the only one capable of guiding the choices concerning the present and the future, not only in the energy sector. A new vision is needed in all areas of human activity. In this context, Tuscany can represent a reference in terms of sustainable development thanks to geothermal energy, hydroelectric plants, not to mention the Innovation Hub, the redevelopment projects of former industrial sites, the commitment to spread mobility electricity, innovative services linked to the electricity vector and sustainable tourism in energy places. This is an activity that is part of the broader corporate commitment at international level, which sees Enel among the leaders of the energy transition according to the guidelines of sustainability, innovation and the circular economy. Alongside Pinocchio Sugli Sci there are many other illustrious realities: the top sponsors Zentiva, Calvé, Cucciolone, Ariete and Nescafé, the Official Sponsors Rossignol, San Benedetto AquaVitamin, Podhio - PDH and the Technical Partner Liski.
The inevitable wooden puppet and all the partners of the event will be among the protagonists of the Itinerant Village of Pinocchio. At the winter oasis the athletes will be able to refresh themselves before and after the races in total safety thanks to the anti-covid protocol developed by the organization. The Village will stop in Prato Nevoso (January 29), Passo San Pellegrino - Moena (February 6), Roccaraso (February 13), San Vito di Cadore (February 19), Cerreto (February 26-27), Bardonecchia (March 1) , Passo del Tonale (7-8 March) and Abetone on the occasion of the Finals (27 March - 1 April).
The organization thanks the Municipality of Abetone Cutigliano for their collaboration, which was chosen for 2022 as the Tuscan City of Sport and will be the protagonist of sporting events and competitions. “Pinocchio Sugli Sci represents one of the most important youth ski festivals at national and international level and will see the very final race played on the slopes of Abetone”, declared Marcello Danti, the Mayor of Abetone Cutigliano. “An important sign of restart after two difficult years that must give us hope. This 40th edition is a very important occasion that brings thousands of tourists to know our territory. Furthermore, every year many people arrive from all over the world in the company of young athletes who will compete between March and April. A big wish for this important milestone and a thank you to the whole organization that every year carries out this important competition ”.
"There are many great ski champions today who took part in this event as children", said the councilor of the municipality of Abetone Cutigliano and regional councilor Diego Petrucci. "The Pinocchio on Skiing is now one of the most important events for our territory that allows children to get to know the great slopes of the area where once even great champions such as Zeno Colò, Celina Seghi and Vittorio Chierroni skied". This year, in addition to celebrating the great milestone of 40 years of Pinocchio Sugli Sci, we are also celebrating the seventieth anniversary of the gold medal in Oslo in downhill by Zeno Colò, our fellow citizen who brought to know our territory in all the world. 2022 is therefore a great milestone for skiing, precisely in the year of Abetone Cutigliano, the Tuscan capital of sport.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Social media engagement
Più letti in Sport invernali
Tocca a Freddy continuare la striscia dei fratelli Carrick-Smith: prima vittoria in ANC per il britannico e per Amelia Smart
Australian New Zealand Cup 2026: a Coronet Peak si è tornati finalmente a gareggiare, con lo slalom maschile che vede il classe 2007, vice campione del mondo jr di specialità, precedere nettamente Meissl e Hagen. La specialista canadese anticipa Hoffmann e la solita Butler nella prova femminile. Ora i giganti.
18