There are many ways to remember a person and Boman has chosen to remember its founder by placing itself at the disposal of the territory as main sponsor for the realisation of the First Silvio Bonaudi Memorial, organised in collaboration with Team Bike Pancalieri. A willingness on the part of the company from Murel and the Bonaudi family, which once again chose to share with the territory in which it has been operating for over 25 years, an important moment for the entire community that involved participants from many parts of Italy.
On Sunday, 4 May, after days of preparation, great effort and hard work, the day began with the reception of runners who had already registered online for the race packet and bib collection stage, and many were also the participants who decided to register that morning. Bar staff were also ready to prepare breakfast. The number of participants will be, at the end of registration, 248 runners coming not only from Piedmont, but also from half of Italy: Lombardy – Liguria – Veneto – Trentino – Tuscany – Emilia-Romagna and Campania. The athletes’ companions are also numerous: girlfriends, wives, children, parents. The pre-race anticipation was cheered up with music and entertainment, making the day fun for spectators as well. The first start was made at 9.30 a.m. and then at 9.35 a.m. with the start of the two races for the youngsters in the J-S1-S2 categories and the veterans V1 and V2 with a total of around 78 entrants, categories that group all youngsters aged between 18 and 39. The afternoon saw the competitions of the Gentleman A gentleman B categories, with 90 entrants, and the Super gentleman A -B -C and the three Ladies A-B-C categories with 70 participants.
Evocative were the runners’ passages through the villages in which the traffic came to a halt and on the roads only the crowds of spectators cheered the runners on as they passed, a scene that was repeated in every village involved in the event and throughout the day’s events. An exciting spectacle also made possible by a compact and present security service consisting of around 70 volunteers who manned all the access points to the race route.
At the end of the race, athletes and spectators were able to enjoy a particularly mouth-watering moment in the food area set up with great professionalism by the ‘Balos’ of Casalgrasso led by Gianfranco, uncle of Enrico and Clara Bonaudi, and realised thanks also to the contribution of Inalpi – a dairy company from Moretta – which gave away some of its production references at the event.
The event ended with thanks to all the mayors who made the event possible and to the mayor of Murello – Fabrizio Milla – who was present at the event, and with the unfailing prize-giving and dressing down of the victorious athletes in each of the categories, who were awarded the title of National Champion: an emotional moment celebrated also to the notes of the Italian anthem. Also thrilling was the presentation – by the mayor of Pancalieri – Piero Paletto – and the mayor of Faule – Chiara Boretto – of the two trophies up for grabs for the best team and the team with the most registered athletes, which were awarded to Team Bike PANCALIERI by the proud and delighted Giuseppe Finotto, the organisational soul of the Memorial.
Finally, Enrico Bonaudi – president of Boman srl – emphasised the importance of initiatives that involve the local area, assuring that there will be a serious evaluation for a possible continuation of the event.
