StoneBrixiaMan Xtri: An adventure, a trip, an unforgettable memory!

Gabriele Frascona'

Nationality: Italian

Lives in: Malcesine, VR, Italy

Experience: Age group endurance athlete, personal trainer and instructor of triathlon and calisthenics.

StoneBrixiaMan Xtri: An adventure, a trip, an unforgettable memory!

Only a few daredevils would undertake a race this exciting!

In recent years I have accumulated a wide variety of sports experience and have discovered different facets of myself. I embraced my role in a group of athletes who enjoy a tough challenge. However, only a few experience true adventure, which has nothing to do with marked trails and official races, but instead with one’s self-sufficiency. But for us, this is how we do sports: we push ourselves as far as possible while also enjoying life.

 “DECISAMENTE G GIOVANI” is an organization comprised of over 50 entrepreneurs from Brescia who has partnered with the team ZEROTRENTA TRIATHLON to organize this sporting event. Their goal was to create an extreme race and enable its participants to safely compete and enjoy their own sporting adventures.

STONE MAN BRIXIA XTREME TRIATHLON is a full distance race which is comprised of a 3.8 km swim, 180 km cycle, and 42 km run-  all of which covers 6000 meters of elevation gain: definitely a tough race. (ending the race 6000 meters higher than where they began.) So what makes this race different? Keep reading to find out!

What matters most for you when pass a sports milestone? Some are born with extraordinary gifts and employ their whole body and soul to the Olympic dream. Some are in their 30-40s and the only sport they know is the couch and Moto GP. We can talk for hours about all the nuances of different sports interpretation, but everyone has their own story and interpretation.

In our world, how important is the stopwatch? How important is the result? Whether you're Frodeno or any age group? I think I'd be lying if I said good results aren’t important when you training hard and sacrificed so much time with friends and family and jumping through hoops to try to maintain a healthy balanced diet and recovery between commitments everyday. Having a good race is important for everyone!

When I plan my schedule of races, my method is to plan the races around beautiful places I would want to see or races in places that I know are great. Races in nature certainly have something special, something different. A marathon in the center of a city is not the same as a trail in the Dolomites, even if each has its own charm.

My way of understanding the sport is to accumulate emotions and experiences related to my physical condition. The more I fit and well I am, the more I take pride in the effort it takes to keep up with the increasly difficult races. I'm lucky to have a physique that responds well to the hard work and I find pleasure in strengthening it. I devote my efforts to people who do not have my own luck and at the same time I want to be be a stimulus for those have this possibility but lack an interest or those who let themselves live a sedentary lifestyle and lose the chance to experience indescribable emotions.

There will be 285 athletes who will participate in the Stonebrixiamanxtri to ensure the highest possible quality in terms of support and organization. The location is Val Camonica valley known in the heart of the Lombardy Alps- indescribably beautiful territories.

SWIM
At 4:00am, the athletes of Stonebrixiamanxtri will dive into the waters of Lake Iseo in the hope that the season has been mild and the water temperature is not too cold. The village will be dark, however they will have a constant light signal buoy to direct them. The start will be between Sulzano and Peschiera Maraglio and will include a path to swim along 3.8 km northward along the east side of Montisola. One of the final buoys by the small island of Loreto will serve as the last change of direction before reaching the beach, where Marone will be set up with the T1 bike park for athletes.

BICYCLE
The first cycling day will be difficult. From Marone, where T1 is situated, athletes run along the bike path Vello-Toline then take the Val Camonica in Pisogne reaching Edolo where they will travel 180 kilometers with approximately 4000 meters of elevation gain. The location will offer an ascent of the historic steps, accessable from the side of Triviglio Mortirolo and Aprica pass- certainly the most pedaled side of this first climb with slopes between 8-10%. A long stretch offers an incredible view, of Adamello and Stelvio park. There will be a descent to Monno where the athletes will ascend briefly to a passage in the town of Ponte di Legno, but they will need their strength to face one of the historic giants of cycling: the Gavia Pass. Located at 2652 meters above sea level with slopes between 8- 12%, it will prepare them for the demanding downhill that will take them into T2. They will exceed 2600 meters in altitude two times in a natural environment where time is of the essence.

RUN
After completing the transition, the athletes will run through the first 20 kilometers with only a slight change of slope to reach Villadalegno through a picturesque hillside with a view of Adamello and the village of Ponte di Legno. Remember that the final part of the triathlon is a 42 km race comprised almost entirely of trail running with a 2000 meter difference in altitude. After a demanding downhill stretch, athletes will walk to the opposite side of the valley a second time from Ponte di Legno center. The uphill path will divert to the Passo del Tonale where, as part of race regulation, they will walk the last 12 kilometers with the support of an accompanying person, thus sharing the joy and effort of this amazing experience!

ARRIVAL
After covering the ascent of the Cantiere, Passo Paradiso will be to welcome them with open arms. In fact, thanks to the cable car of the Passo del Tonale, the fans and supporters will have the opportunity to climb at 2600 meters and join the athletes in a majestic Alpine landscape just below the Presena glacier. This is definitely not a race for everyone, but for the few who feel a strong desire to have contact with nature doing something difficult but also fun.

Our representatives, Gabriel and Martina, of Tri Fun Fit will be there for the whole experience and will be updating everyone through photos, comments, videos, and post-race articles. On the day of the race (9.7.2016) we will reopen registration www.stonebrixiamanxtri.com for 2017 and Tri Fun Fit will be there to lead you through this fantastic adventure!

Many purists criticize these competitions, given the enormous difficulties, I can confidently say that every individual who decided to participate and to share this experience with his/her loved ones, enough to live intensely! I think our experiences in this life are what we cherish the most, regardless of the outcome. Good adventures to all! We will meet at the race!

Gabriele Frascona'