Battipaglia Runs... remembering Andrea

A race born from a memory

"Battipaglia Runs... remembering Andrea" is not just a road race included in the FIDAL Campania regional committee calendar: it is the way a city has chosen not to forget. The event is dedicated to the memory of Andrea Di Donato, a marshal of the Carabinieri, husband and father, and former president of the local sports association, who passed away prematurely. Since then, every June, his name returns to run along the streets of Battipaglia together with hundreds of runners from all over Campania and beyond.

The event is organized by A.S.D. Ideatletica Aurora, led by president Sergio Mastrangelo, one of the most active athletics organizations in the province of Salerno. The race has progressively established itself as one of the most heartfelt appointments in Campanian road running, capable of combining the competitive dimension with the deeply human one of remembrance.

The course: the city as a track

The route is a city circuit of approximately 9.9 kilometers, consisting of two identical laps to be run entirely within the urban fabric. The start is given from Via Italia, right in front of the Town Hall, and from there, athletes cross some of the most recognizable landmarks of Battipaglia: Via Mazzini, Via Paolo Baratta, the Strada Statale 19, Viale Germania, Via delle Industrie, Viale Brodolini, and Via Rosa Jemma.

The finale is the most evocative moment: the last few meters are run inside the Luigi Pastena Municipal Stadium, on the new FIDAL-approved athletics track, with the public in the stands accompanying every arrival. It is a detail that makes the difference and that many participants cite as the signature of the event: crossing the finish line on a real track, just like in a championship race.

Flying finish lines and shared memory

Along the course, there are two flying finish lines, also named after figures dear to local sports: the "Sergio Fiorillo" flying finish for the men's category and the "Silvio Petrone" flying finish for the women's category, positioned at the five-kilometer mark. These are symbolic prizes that add a tactical spark to the race and reinforce the commemorative character of the entire day.

Open to everyone: competitive runners and walkers

The competitive race is reserved for adult athletes in good standing with FIDAL membership or recognized sports promotion bodies. Alongside the official race, the organization offers "Corridendo", a non-competitive run of about 5 kilometers open to all ages, designed for families, walkers, and enthusiasts who want to participate without a stopwatch. It is this dual spirit that makes the morning a true festival of sport for the entire city, as President Mastrangelo likes to repeat.

Battipaglia and the Piana del Sele

Battipaglia is the nerve center of the Piana del Sele, in the province of Salerno, one of the most productive agricultural areas in Campania, famous for its Buffalo Mozzarella PDO, artichokes, and horticulture. A young and dynamic city, which grew in the twentieth century around the canning industry and the traffic of the Statale 18, it is located a few kilometers from the sea and a short distance from the great attractions of the area: Paestum with its Greek temples, the Amalfi Coast, Salerno, and the Cilento National Park.

Running here means crossing a real city, made of avenues, neighborhoods, and productive zones, with the public looking out from the sidewalks. There is no tourist postcard; there is something different and perhaps more authentic: the participation of a community that recognizes itself in a name.

A staple of Campanian road running

With participation that consistently stands at around 250 attendees, the event attracts historic clubs from the region and neighboring Puglia. Individual prizes, team prizes, and category awards are provided, as well as a memento for all participants. The regular presence of FIDAL Campania committee officials confirms the race's deep roots in the regional calendar.

• Where: Battipaglia (SA), Campania — start from Via Italia, finish at Luigi Pastena Stadium
• When: Sunday morning, mid-June
• Distances: approx. 9.9 km competitive over two laps + "Corridendo" 5 km non-competitive
• Organization: A.S.D. Ideatletica Aurora