Vertical Scalaro

A vertical race in the heart of the Canavese

The Vertical Scalaro is one of the most distinctive mountain running races in the Upper Canavese area. It takes place in Quincinetto, a small town in the Metropolitan City of Turin located at the entrance to the Aosta Valley, at the foot of the Serra di Ivrea. The route starts in the village and climbs, trail after trail, up to the hamlet of Scalaro, an ancient alpine settlement preserved in its original state at 1413 meters above sea level, dominated by a small 18th-century church dedicated to San Quirico.

A short but demanding course

The race covers 5.8 kilometers with approximately 1150 meters of positive elevation gain: numbers that place it among pure vertical races, where continuous climbing matters more than distance. After an initial stretch through the village, the route winds along mule tracks and mountain paths of Quincinetto, with challenging but never extreme gradients, until it emerges into the Scalaro basin. It is a race that rewards mountain specialists but remains open to enthusiasts, thanks to the option to register just minutes before the start.

Sport and tradition: the San Quirico feast

Vertical Scalaro is more than just a race: it is the highlight of the summer for the hamlet. The arrival of the competitors is welcomed by a crowd cheering with alpine horns and cowbells, and the event is intertwined with the San Quirico patronal feast, organized in collaboration with the local community and the Municipality of Quincinetto. After the awards ceremony, the day continues with music, dinner, and festivities in the mountain hamlet, in a setting that combines sport, conviviality, and the alpine identity of Piedmont.

Memorial and local roots

The race honors the memory of local sports figures: in recent editions, the event has been paired with the Franco Morgani Memorial, a versatile athlete from Quincinetto. Included in the regional vertical circuit, Vertical Scalaro has grown with each edition, becoming a highly anticipated date in the summer running calendar of the Canavese and Piedmontese mountain racing scene.

Where it takes place

Quincinetto is located in the northern part of the Metropolitan City of Turin, in Piedmont, easily accessible from the A5 Turin-Aosta motorway. The hamlet of Scalaro, the race finish line, is a scenic hiking destination overlooking the Val Chiusella and the mountains on the border with the Aosta Valley.