Results BOclassic Alto Adige 2025

Information, startlists and results from BOclassic Alto Adige December 31 2025.

BOclassic Alto Adige 2025

51st edition

Date

December 31

Place

Bolzano – Italy

Race Day Schedule:

• Just-for-fun runs (1.25–5 km): 10:45
• Amateur Run (5 km): 11:30
• Youth Cup (1.25–2.5 km): 12:20
• Elite Men (10 km): 12:50
• Elite Women (5 km): 13:30

Startlist

Livestream

• WATCH LIVE ON RAI SUDTIROL
• WATCH LIVE ON RAI SPORTS (Italian IP may be required)

Liveresults

Men, top 10

Women, top 10

Course

Starters

Women’s 5 km

Battocletti returns to Bolzano aiming for a historic third consecutive victory after winning the past two editions in 15:30 (2023) and 15:31 (2024). The Italian star will also target the course record of 15:22, set by Dawit Swaum in 2021.

The 25-year-old enjoyed a sensational 2024 season, claiming silver in the 10,000 metres with an Italian record of 30:38.23 and bronze in the 5000 metres at the World Championships in Tokyo. She has also amassed six European Cross Country gold medals across under-20, under-23 and senior categories, becoming only the fourth woman in history to successfully defend the senior European cross country title with her victory in Lagoa last December. In May, she added European road gold over 10 km in Leuven.

“I’ve had a very busy period recently—it seems I don’t like doing things the easy way,” said Battocletti. “I’m happy to return to Bolzano. I really enjoy running at the BOclassic.”

The strongest African challenger in the women’s field is Ethiopia’s Ksanet Alem, who owns a personal best of 15:24 and finished eighth over 800 metres at the World U20 Championships in Lima in 2024.

Great Britain’s Cari Hughes arrives in strong form after winning the UK National Cross Country Trials in Liverpool, securing her place on the British team for the European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa. Hughes was third in the 3000m steeplechase at the British Championships this year and boasts personal bests of 15:05.05 for 5000m (Oordegem) and 15:18 for 5 km on the road (Lille).

Italy’s Sara Nestola adds further depth after winning bronze in the half marathon at the European Road Running Championships in Leuven. Nestola was part of Italy’s gold-medal-winning team at the 2021 European Cross Country Championships in Dublin and claimed silver over 10,000m at the 2023 European U23 Championships in Espoo. Her 5 km personal best stands at 15:43.

Also lining up are Burundi’s Elvanie Nimbona, Italy’s Federica Del Buono—fourth over 10,000m at the European Championships in Rome and a 1:10:07 half-marathon debutant—along with Micol Majori and Valentina Gemetto, who recently finished third in Soria and fourth at the Cinque Mulini.

Men’s 10 km

The men’s 10 km race will see the top four finishers from last year—Bekele, Crippa, Charles Rotich, and Maxime Chaumeton—renew their rivalry, with the addition of world-class star Kejelcha adding further intrigue.

Kejelcha set the world half marathon record of 57:30 in Valencia in 2024 and is a two-time world silver medallist over 10,000 metres (Doha 2019, Tokyo 2025) as well as a two-time world indoor champion over 3000 metres (Portland 2016, Birmingham 2018). His personal bests stand at 12:38.95 for 5000m and 26:31.01 for 10,000m.

Crippa returns to Bolzano for the 10th time in his career and has finished runner-up in each of the past three editions. The Italian has claimed European gold in the 10,000m in Munich 2022 and the half marathon in Rome 2024, and set a marathon personal best of 2:06:06 in Seville earlier this year. He arrives after autumn victories at the Giro al Sas in Trento and a solid 2:10:59 performance at the Valencia Marathon.

“I’m always happy to race in Bolzano because of the atmosphere and the passion of the crowd,” said Crippa.

Defending champion Bekele returns after winning last year’s race in 27:59, edging Crippa by two seconds in a thrilling finish at Bolzano’s Waltherplatz. The Ethiopian has a Diamond League win over 5000m in Rome (2019) and set his personal best of 12:42.70 in Monaco in 2023.

“I’m in good shape and I enjoy competing in Italy,” said Bekele. “I hope to win again, although this year’s race will be tougher.”

Chaumeton competes in Bolzano for the fourth consecutive year after podium finishes in 2022 and 2023 and fourth place in 2024. The South African recently captured his second national 5000m title and lowered his national 10 km road record to 26:51 in Brașov, Romania.

Kenya’s Rotich, just 20 years old, makes his second appearance after finishing third in 28:08 last year.

Also in the field are Italy’s Badr Jaafari, fresh from winning the Italian half marathon title in Cremona and the Firenze Marathon on his debut over the distance, and Luca Alfieri, the reigning Italian cross country champion.

History

How it all began…

What can one do to make the winter period shorter and more interesting in terms of sport events? This is the question the Runners Club Bolzano tried to answer in 1974. So far, many cross competitions have been organised, but no middle distance running races or meetings at all.
Then, a small group headed by Dr. Josef Mulser, Hans Pircher and Dr. Günther Andergassen organised the first New Year’s Eve Run in Bozen. The idea for this event, the first in Europe of its kind, was inspired by the famous New Year’s Eve Run in Sao Paolo, Brazil. The first event was very successful and organised for male athletes only. Subsequently, a few events later, women were also involved.
At first, approximately 100 participants came from Europe alone. Today, athletes come from all over the place, including Africa and Russia, and join the European elite. At the start, there was no prize money involved, but athletes received free accommodation in town. As the event grew larger, South Tyrolean sponsors such as Seebacher, Reinstadler, the Oberdorfer family and various wine cellars, began to support the event. The costs have increased consistently each year, and so did the needs of the entire organisation of the event, which originally was managed by only three people: Dr. Günther Andergassen, Dr. Gerhard Brandstätter and Toni Stampfer. At a later stage, a special committee had to be created for this purpose.
The original 15 km route was reduced to 10 km, although maintaining the same characteristics. Start and finish line have always been in the main Waltherplatz. Only a few times, changes had been made due to road works.
Time records have also improved over the years. The first winners were European athletes like Putemanns from Belgium, as well as Cova, Panetta and Antibo from Italy. The best South Tyrolean runner is still Christian Leuprecht, having gained the third position.
In the meantime, things have changed! Hans Pircher, the coach of the Bozen Runners’ Club says, that in the old days, the New Year’s Eve athletes would run up to the Seiser Alm and dash through the snow on bare feet. It’s hardly imaginable that something like this would happen today….

The original 15 km route was reduced to 10 km, although maintaining the same characteristics. Start and finish line have always been in the main Waltherplatz. Only a few times, changes had been made due to road works.

Time records have also improved over the years. The first winners were European athletes like Putemanns from Belgium, as well as Cova, Panetta and Antibo from Italy. The best South Tyrolean runner is still Christian Leuprecht, having gained the third position.

In the meantime, things have changed! Hans Pircher, the coach of the Bozen Runners’ Club says, that in the old days, the New Year’s Eve athletes would run up to the Seiser Alm and dash through the snow on bare feet. It’s hardly imaginable that something like this would happen today….

Past winners

Results 2024

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