Trofeo Vanoni 2026
A blog by Siôn Morgan Edwards
Editor's into note: Siôn approached a committee member to ask about the possibility of the club supporting him to take an Eryri team to Morbegno, quite literally within an hour of finishing the Râs Wyddfa! Without hesitation, it was something we wanted to invest in and support. We are incredibly proud to have been able to support this team and are very grateful to Siôn for leading the way. Hopefully we'll be able to do it again next year. Over to Siôn.........
The first time I heard about Morbegno was in 2011, when I turned down an offer to perform with a band there. When the band returned, hearing stories about the town twinned with Llanberis made me envious.
Fast forward to the finish line of the 2019 Ras Tri Chopa: another offer came up, no need to think twice, and ever since I’ve grabbed every opportunity to return for the legendary relay race, Trofeo Vanoni.
Saturday morning (the day before the race), Owain, Ieuan, Mared, and Siwan (my wife) had already been out for a recce of the course. I was starting a little later, so I agreed to guide the Hebog lads on the loop from Via Vanoni up to Arzo.
Running down towards La Bottega, our usual meeting spot, another group of runners were finishing their recce. Leading the way was the familiar face of Paddy Conroy, wearing an Eryri vest! The brothers Ian and Paddy Conroy from Dublin run for Horwich club—friends of Eryri Harriers who are as loyal to Trofeo Vanoni as they are to the International Ras Yr Wyddfa.
Onward with the recce. My legs felt like lead on the first climb, but I didn't want to show any weakness. I wondered how on earth Owain Williams was feeling. Yesterday, he had run 50km over the pass from San Giovanni to Morbegno! Even though we had traveled to northern Italy to compete against nearly 170 teams, our main goal was to beat Hebog!
The 7.25km course is thoroughly marked and easy to follow, with one main line that can save a valuable second or two. You have to be brave to risk that line over the top of a big muddy rock.
Later in the day, it was time to register before the parade through the town. You see the incredible effort and generosity of the organizers here. A bag was prepared for every competitor, packed to the brim with gifts: cheese, meats, milk, books, a mug, and of course the race's special wine! It must have been a successful year in the local orchards—everyone came out of registration with an apple between their teeth and two or three in their pockets. My eldest son, Cybi, came across the piazza beaming from ear to ear with a box full of red apples.
There was a real buzz at the start of the parade, with Welsh, Italian, and British runners greeting each other and chatting. The race organizer, Cristina, came over specifically to fetch our team and guide us to meet key town officials. Unfortunately, my Italian isn't the best, but I made an effort to greet and thank them. They were so pleased to hear about Ieuan's family connection to the race, and I was glad to empty my pockets of the Welsh cakes I’d been carrying for Cristina.
At the end of the parade, there is a moving ceremony, with members of the mountain home guard, the local minister, and the brass band playing their part under the shadow of the team flags.
Maybe Morbegno is old-fashioned… in a good way: a busy town full of shops and restaurants, people chatting with hardly anyone staring down at their phones, a youth club on the high street, and a feeling that the community pulls together to organize the event. On the other hand, the women's relay race is a recent addition, and they still aren't allowed to run the full men's course!
On race morning, we were all out on the hill supporting the women. Unfortunately, there was no Eryri team, but there were outstanding performances from the Ras yr Wyddfa team, North Wales, and Hebog. I was so proud to see my wife Siwan competing and smiling all the way even though I registered her without her knowing! Also, supporting her helped calm my own pre-race nerves!
Women's Race:
Snowdon Race Team: 1st (Hannah Russell 22:49, Eden O'Dea 23:48 — Total 46:32)
North Wales: 10th (Josephine Hurst 25:46, Martha Owen 25:21 — Total 51:08)
Hebog: 28th (Mared Llywelyn 28:45, Siwan Edwards 32:35 — Total 1:01:20)
Now it was our turn, and a clear plan was in place:
1. Sub-10 minutes down.
2. Beat Hebog.
Math Roberts collates times for any British runner who can descend in under 10 minutes. Last year I was 10:02!
I had to make sure not to blow my legs on the steep first climb! At the gunshot, the first leg along the streets of Morbegno was fast as usual. Up front, Eryri member Tom Wood was running in a North Wales vest. Math Roberts was ahead of me too. Up Via San Marco, legs feeling good! Out of the sea of runners from everywhere between Mexico and San Marino, I was sandwiched between Tan y Foel and Tudweiliog (Math ahead of me and Elis Hebog behind).
A high-five from Cybi and Robin on the steepest section before turning towards the lane by the monument! Head down here, the noise of the crowd is deafening, but I cope better than usual. It's back and forth between me and Math, but as we step onto the tarmac, Ieuan is there acting as a "pacer" along the lane towards Barnaba. I have to put my hands on my legs and walk a few steps on the steep climb through the trees, but the rhythm settles as we climb towards Arzo.
We're running as a vets team here, and the experience of another vet, Rob Hope, gets the better of me on the climb. I wasn't confident we'd be strong enough to beat his vets team (which also includes Gavin Roberts and Grant Cunliffe), but I was happy to be pulling away from Hebog.
The hope was to reach the top of the course in 24 minutes. Usually on this stretch, you hear local kids trying to pronounce my name whilst reading it off a list. Today, I was alongside one of CSI Morbegno's local heroes, Marco Leoni. "DAI MARCO! DAI MARCO!" was the only shout to be heard.
Across the fast, flat path to Arzo, there was further proof that Morbegno is gradually modernising. Instead of the noisy 2-stroke chainsaws the supporters usually bring, one local lad was cheering runners on with a DeWalt electric leaf blower!
Crossing the timing mat: 24:33-ish. If I can get down in 10 minutes, I’ll get a PR. I couldn't do any better than that.
Brain off, brakes off, and down the rollercoaster towards Morbegno. Past Rob Hope and one of the Scottish internationals. Taking the line over the big rock paid dividends!
"DAI MARCO! DAI MARCO!" The shouting turned up to 11 as we approached the race’s main attraction! The jump! I was right on Marco's heels flying over the rough trail towards the awkward approach to the jump. Turning in, Marco slipped and bounced off his chest over the jump onto the grass below. I gasped and slowed down a bit. "Iawn met?" were the only words I could get out. Somehow he scrambled to his feet and beat me across the grass to the road. He fought hard, but I passed him after seeing Siwan and the lads once again.
Marco should have gone to Crib Goch Outdoor to pick up a pair of Ronhills. Perfect for the course, which was very dry this year.
The rest of the course is very fast, and I crossed the line in 34:33. Descent time from Arzo: 10:00.4!! Never mind—I high-five Owain Williams and collapse onto the fence to catch my breath.
Even though Owain ran 50km two days ago, he looked strong blasting down Via Vanoni.
One of my favorite things about this relay is that you can head straight back out onto the course to support your teammates, which is exactly what I did after turning down a bottle of beer from Paddy Conroy (a first time for everything!).
Dust was flying from Ows's Ronhills as he bounded from the summit down to our third runner, Ieuan, in 9:47!!! He handed over to Ieu in 35:23. A fantastic time that kept us 72 seconds ahead of Hebog!
After Ieuan’s recent injury, we were so glad he was able to make the race. He showed his strength, battling to the summit in 26 minutes, but the Falcon flew like a dart in Arzo, and Rhys Jones passed him.
Ieuan finished strong, bringing us home in a total time of 1:48:28. Good enough for 3rd in the Veterans category and a spot on the podium at the presentation!
Huge congratulations also to friends and Eryri members running for other teams—notably the North Wales squad with Tom Wood up front, finishing 8th!
After the presentation, it was time to celebrate! The San Giovanni restaurant was full of Welsh and British runners. The local Pizzoccheri pasta is especially good there—just the thing before joining the party at the TNT bar.
The winning team, SA Valchiese, were celebrating just as hard as they had run. Every time a runner or team arrived at the party, cheers, applause, and limoncello flowed. I don't doubt for a second that Arwel Lewis got the biggest cheer of all! We had to prove we were as good at singing as the Italians, so Gavin Roberts took the lead in conducting the Welsh fell runners' choir! A night of celebration that will stay in the memory for a long time. A perfect end to a special weekend of racing.
I am very grateful to the Eryri committee for approving the request to send a team to Trofeo Vanoni and keeping the connection between our club and Morbegno alive. I hope to return again to knock 0.4 seconds off my time…….
Diolch again to Siôn for this amazing blog. With this story being so good - I'm sure more and more of the club would love to go next year. Traditionally- the team(s) is chosen depending on club members rank in Râs Wyddfa (if one doesn't want a spot - it rolls down to the next ranked runner). So if you want that chance- get on Llanberis Path and go go go! Why not create training groups, train and encourage each other? Please contact us for support - the club want to continue to give back and support our members to have these amazing experiences.
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