BOclassic, located in Bolzano, Italy, was founded in 1975 and was inspired by the San Sylvester road race in São Paulo, Brazil, and was awarded the World Athletics Heritage Shield (category : “Competition”) was awarded. This follows in the footsteps of the São Paulo New Year Race (1925), for which the shield was awarded in 2019.
Europe’s first New Year’s Eve road race in Bolzano was initially called Corsa Internazionale di San Silvestro, but from 1996 it became known as BO Classic Alto Adige. All races will take place on a 1.25km loop through the streets of the historic center of Bolzano, the capital of the South Tyrol region in northern Italy. As well as the elite men’s (10km) and women’s (5km) races, a 5km public run for youth and adult runners is held annually, drawing thousands of spectators along the route.
of World Athletics Heritage Nameplate A position-based award for outstanding contributions to world history and development in off-the-field athletics disciplines such as track and field, cross-country, mountain, road, trail, ultrarunning, and racing. walking
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe commented: “Bolzano’s New Year’s Eve event was pioneered in Europe as the first road race to end the old year and usher in the new one. BOclassic’s international reputation for excellence brings together a star-studded field of elite competitors each year. Vivian Cheruiyot, Berhane Adele, Tegra Loroupe, Uta Pippig, Ellie van Hulst, Edwin Soy, Daniel Komen, Salvatore Antibo, Emiel Puttemans and Dietmar Milonig are all famous runners who have won since 1975. He is one of the
“For 50 years, the BO Classic has become part of Bolzano’s social fabric, with citizens taking to the streets to take part in recreational running and to cheer on all participants, both elite and regular runners.
“Congratulations on your 50th milestone. World Athletics is pleased to commemorate this occasion with the awarding of the World Athletics Heritage Plaque.”
Cristian Walasin, head of the organizing team, commented: But for us, this is not just a milestone, but also a starting point for, hopefully, 50 more top-level events. ”
Andreas Widmann, chairman of the organization Leufer Club Bosen Raiffeisen, commented: “BOclassic Südtirol is an event for the citizens of Bolzano. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the New Year’s Eve run is so popular and we can rely on the help of many volunteers every year. The city authorities also continue to strongly support this event. We are supporting Bolzano at the very end of the year and putting it at the center of the international running scene.”
A small group from the Runners’ Club Bolzano, led by Dr. Josef Mülser, Hans Pilcher, Toni Rittsch, Toni Stampfer and Dr. Günter Andergassen, organized the first New Year’s Eve run in Bolzano. They simply wanted to create an opportunity for middle-distance competition in the winter, and took inspiration from São Paulo’s world-famous São Sylvester Road Race, which has attracted the world’s top runners since 1925. The first race in Bolzano was men’s only, with around 100 participants. Although runners also participated, the first women’s race was held in 1977.
BOclassic’s elite races are currently 5km for women and 10km for men, and holds the World Athletics Road Race label.
The start and finish have always been at the main Waltherplatz for many years. However, until 1983, the course was different for men, approximately 13km, and for women, approximately 6.5km, and in 1977 and 1978, women ran the same 13km distance as men. The women’s winner for the past two years was Germany’s Heide Brenner.
Ukraine’s Sergii Levid was the most successful male athlete with five wins, while Ethiopia’s Berhane Adele with four wins was the best female athlete.
Currently, Italy’s recent winners are Ayoub Faneuil, who won the men’s race in 2019, and Olympic 10,000m silver medalist Nadia Batocculetti, who won the women’s race last year.
Chris Turner named a World Athletics Heritage Site
