LifeStar 10K of the Hundred Horse Chestnut Tree

A race in the heart of Mount Etna

The LifeStar 10K of the Hundred Horse Chestnut Tree is a road running competition that brings the historic center of Sant'Alfio to life every year. This charming village in the Province of Catania is perched on the eastern slopes of Mount Etna, in Sicily. The event combines the competitive spirit of a high-level race with the charm of a landscape dominated by the monumental Hundred Horse Chestnut Tree, considered the oldest and most famous tree in Italy and a symbol of the entire Sant'Alfio community.

The Course

The track measures 2.5 kilometers to be completed four times, for a total of 10 km winding entirely through the streets of the town. With the start and finish in Piazza Duomo, the circuit is technical, lively, and selective: the constant rhythm changes and the ups and downs characteristic of a mountain town make it demanding and spectacular, ideal for those seeking significant times in front of the street-side crowds.

A staple of Sicilian running

The race is part of three prestigious regional circuits: it is a stage of the Running Sicily - LifeStar, a trial of the Grand Prix Sicilia 10K, and a leg of the Etna Running circuit. This triple validity makes it a crossroads of the island's running calendar, capable of attracting athletes from numerous nations and offering important points for the general rankings.

Sport, community, and territory

Alongside the competition, a 10 km Walkathon and a 2.5 km fun run/walk take place, designed to involve families, enthusiasts, and walkers in a day of sport and conviviality open to all. The event is promoted by ASD Agex together with Running Sicily, with the support of the Municipality of Sant'Alfio, and also represents an opportunity to promote the village and its extraordinary natural heritage at the foot of Europe's highest volcano.

Sant'Alfio and the Hundred Horse Chestnut Tree

Running in Sant'Alfio means crossing a place steeped in history and legend. The Hundred Horse Chestnut Tree, which gives the race its name, is a thousand-year-old specimen that has entered popular imagination thanks to the ancient legend of the queen who allegedly found shelter there with her retinue of one hundred knights. Around this symbol, the race becomes much more than a sporting event: a way to celebrate the identity of the Etna village and the bond between its people and the mountain.