Passion
Going the extra mile
As many as 10,000 people – Ferrari employees among them – ran between Maranello and Modena on Sunday 30th March, in a hugely successful sporting event that opened iconic Ferrari locations to the public for the first time.
Organised by Master Group Sport in collaboration with sports club ASD La Fratellanza 1874, proceeds from the “Memorial Enzo Ferrari” Italian Half Marathon will also fund a sporting project for the local community.
Click the video to watch highlights from the Half Marathon of Italy “Memorial Enzo Ferrari”
The 21.0975km course set off from a scenic start near the Ferrari Museum, Maranello in decidedly spring-like weather, before the long stream of runners navigated part of the Fiorano Track – an iconic location until now inaccessible to the public.
A number of Ferraris displayed alongside the circuit’s famous curves made the experience all the more special, with the 499P Hypercar, Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 single-seater and current sports cars among them. The runners also passed through the historic Ferrari Factory entrance and along its central avenue, another venue open to the public for the first time thanks to Ferrari’s role as marathon Hosting Partner.
The Half Marathon of Italy welcomed entrants from across the world. Kenyan athlete Emmanuel Wafula won overall, with his compatriot Gladys Cherop the fastest female runner
From there, the race continued in beautiful morning sunshine through the Municipality of Formigine, passing the stunning medieval castle on its way.
After a gruelling hour and over 21km mostly on closed local roads, the first finishers began to arrive in Piazza Roma, Modena.
Overall victory went to Emmanuel Wafula, a 19-year-old Kenyan athlete who came home in 59min 20sec – 47 seconds clear of his second-placed countryman Cosmas Boi, whom he embraced on the line. Gladys Cherop, another renowned Kenyan runner, claimed impressive victory in the ladies’ category, arriving in Modena after 1hr 8min and 23sec.
The Paralympic race was won by adaptive athlete Rita Cuccuru, a champion from Maranello who set her personal best with a time of 53min 28sec.
The route took in the Fiorano Track and historic Ferrari Factory entrance
Medals were crafted in Ferrari’s facilities using the same additive manufacturing technology employed in Formula 1 and now making its Ferrari road-car debut with the F80 supercar. The winners were also offered complementary visits to the Ferrari Museums in Modena and Maranello.
Local communities will benefit too, with proceeds from the Half Marathon of Italy funding a new multisport field in the Maranello Sports Park. As supporting partner, Ferrari will donate an amount equal to the registrations of participating employees.