Cinque Mulini

Cinque Mulini

The Montoli mill, one of several near the course.
Date Late January or
Early February
Location San Vittore Olona,
Italy Italy
Event type Cross country
Distance 9.8 km for men
5.5 km for women
Established 1933

The Cinque Mulini is an annual cross country running race in San Vittore Olona, Italy. First held in 1933, the course is unusual in that it revolves around a number of water mills, which lend the competition its name – meaning Five Mills in Italian.[1] It is one of the IAAF cross country permit meetings that act as qualifiers for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.[2] As one of the most prestigious meets, numerous world record holders and Olympic champions have competed at the Cinque Mulini throughout its history.[1]

History

Giovanni Malerba organised the first competition in 1933 as a reaction to a competition in a neighbouring village which revolved around seven clock towers.[1] The competition has been held every year since its inception, including throughout the Second World War and in 1939 when the Federazione Italiana di Atletica Leggera (FIDAL) ordered that all cross country competitions be postponed.[3] The course was altered from 10 km to 12 in the late 1930s, in order to accommodate all five mills.[1] The race began to grow after being selected as the course for the Italian Cross Country Championship in 1946 and 1949. The competition became an international one in 1952 and Tunisian runner Ahmed Labidi became the first foreign winner two years later. By the early 1960s, Olympic silver medallist Franjo Mihalić had brought the race to new heights, taking three victories over five editions.[3]

A junior race was introduced in 1960,[3] the first international women's race was held in 1971, and student races were added to the program in the late 1970s. Olympic and World champions graced the course at every edition in the 1970s. By the mid-eighties, East African runners had established themselves, frequently reaching the podium in the senior races. It was part of the IAAF World Cross Challenge the following decade, remaining at the forefront of European cross country running. The course was significantly changed throughout the 2000s,[3] only the Cozzi and Meraviglia mills remained as part of the course and gradually only the semi-functioning Meraviglia was included.[1]

Both former champion David Bedford and meet organiser Vito Garofalo stressed that the competition's longevity is due to, in part, the support the race receives from the local community.[1] The race was elected to serve as the Italian national cross country championships in 1996; Gennaro Di Napoli and Patrizia Di Napoli took the honours.[4]

The event hosted the European Cross Country Club Championships alongside the traditional race in 2011; Portuguese club Grupo Desportivo e Recreativo Conforlimpa won the men's team title while the women's title went to Turkey's Üsküdar Belediyesi Spor Kulübü.[5]

Past senior race winners

National era

Edition Year Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s)
1st 1933  Mario Fiocchi (ITA) Not held
2nd 1934  Luigi Pellin (ITA) Not held
3rd 1935  Luigi Pellin (ITA) Not held
4th 1936  Luigi Pellin (ITA) Not held
5th 1937  Romano Maffeis (ITA) Not held
6th 1938  Umberto de Florentis (ITA) Not held
7th 1939  Vittorio Avila (ITA) Not held
8th 1940  Antonio Vitali (ITA) Not held
9th 1941  Romano Maffeis (ITA) Not held
10th 1942  Salvatore Constantino (ITA) Not held
11th 1943  Salvatore Constantino (ITA) Not held
12th 1944  Giuseppe Beviacqua (ITA) Not held
13th 1945  Armando Cesarato (ITA) Not held
14th 1946  Aldo Rossi (ITA) Not held
15th 1947  Sestini Cristoforo (ITA) Not held
16th 1948  Giuseppe Italia (ITA) Not held
17th 1949  Giuseppe Beviacqua (ITA) Not held
18th 1950  Giuseppe Italia (ITA) Not held
19th 1951  Luigi Pelliccioli (ITA) Not held

International era

Paul Tergat took the title in 1996 and 1998.
Charles Kamathi won consecutively in 2000 and 2001.
Olivera Jevtić was the 2001 and 2002 women's champion.
Maryam Yusuf Jamal won the 2007 women's race.
The 2003 and 2007 winner, Serhiy Lebid, was also European Champion both years.
Edition Year Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s)
20th 1952  Luigi Pelliccioli (ITA) Not held
21st 1953  Agostino Conti (ITA) Not held
22nd 1954  Ahmed Labidi (TUN) Not held
23rd 1955  Giacomo Pepicelli (ITA) Not held
24th 1956  Rino Lavelli (ITA) Not held
25th 1957  Franjo Mihalić (YUG) Not held
26th 1958  Franjo Mihalić (YUG) Not held
27th 1959  Francesco Perrone (ITA) Not held
28th 1960  Gianfranco Baraldi (ITA) Not held
29th 1961  Franjo Mihalić (YUG) Not held
30th 1962  Michel Jazy (FRA) Not held
31st 1963  Michel Jazy (FRA) Not held
32nd 1964  Antonio Ambu (ITA) Not held
33rd 1965  Billy Mills (USA) Not held
34th 1966  Mike Turner (GBR) Not held
35th 1967  Nikolai Dutov (URS) Not held
36th 1968  Gaston Roelants (BEL) Not held
37th 1969  Kipchoge Keino (KEN) Not held
38th 1970  Naftali Temu (KEN) Not held
39th 1971  Daniel Korica (YUG)  Rita Ridley (GBR)
40th 1972  David Bedford (GBR)  Rita Ridley (GBR)
41st 1973  Frank Shorter (USA)  Paola Pigni (ITA)
42nd 1974  Emiel Puttemans (BEL)  Rita Ridley (GBR)
43rd 1975  Filbert Bayi (TAN)  Gabriella Dorio (ITA)
44th 1976  Filbert Bayi (TAN)  Renata Pentlinowska (POL)
45th 1977  Yohannes Mohamed (ETH)  Bronislawa Ludwichowska (POL)
46th 1978  Willy Polleunis (BEL)  Grete Waitz (NOR)
47th 1979  Leon Schots (BEL)  Grete Waitz (NOR)
46th 1980  Leon Schots (BEL)  Grete Waitz (NOR)
49th 1981  Mohamed Kedir (ETH)  Grete Waitz (NOR)
50th 1982  Eshetu Tura (ETH)  Grete Waitz (NOR)
51st 1983  Robert de Castella (AUS)  Margaret Groos (USA)
52nd 1984  Bekele Debele (ETH)  Grete Waitz (NOR)
53rd 1985  Fesseha Abebe (ETH)  Betty Springs (USA)
54th 1986  Alberto Cova (ITA)  Lynn Jennings (USA)
55th 1987  Paul Kipkoech (KEN)  Lynn Jennings (USA)
56th 1988  Paul Kipkoech (KEN)  Annette Sergent (FRA)
57th 1989  John Ngugi (KEN)  Jackie Perkins (AUS)
58th 1990  Moses Tanui (KEN)  Nadia Dandolo (ITA)
59th 1991  Khalid Skah (MAR)  Luchia Yishak (ETH)
60th 1992  Fita Bayisa (ETH)  Luchia Yishak (ETH)
61st 1993  Fita Bayisa (ETH)  Esther Kiplagat (KEN)
62nd 1994  Fita Bayisa (ETH)  Albertina Dias (POR)
63rd 1995  Fita Bayisa (ETH)  Albertina Dias (POR)
64th 1996  Paul Tergat (KEN)  Merima Denboba (ETH)
65th 1997  Girma Tolla (ETH)  Gete Wami (ETH)
66th 1998  Paul Tergat (KEN)  Merima Denboba (ETH)
67th 1999  Salah Hissou (MAR)  Anita Weyermann (SUI)
68th 2000  Charles Kamathi (KEN)  Asmae Leghzaoui (MAR)
69th 2001  Charles Kamathi (KEN)  Olivera Jevtić (YUG)
70th 2002  Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)  Olivera Jevtić (YUG)
71st 2003  Serhiy Lebid (UKR)  Alice Timbilili (KEN)
72nd 2004  Boniface Kiprop (UGA)  Zakia Mrisho (TAN)
73rd 2005  Saif Shaheen (QAT)  Benita Johnson (AUS)
74th 2006  Paul Koech (KEN)  Anikó Kálovics (HUN)
75th 2007  Serhiy Lebid (UKR)  Maryam Jamal (BHR)
76th 2008  Zersenay Tadese (ERI)  Pauline Korikwiang (KEN)
77th 2009  Saif Shaheen (QAT)  Anikó Kálovics (HUN)
78th 2010[6]  Hunegnaw Mesfin (ETH) 28:03  Nancy Lagat (KEN) 19:25
79th 2011[5]  Ayad Lamdassem (ESP) 28:03  Alemitu Degfa (TUR) 20:28
80th 2012[7]  Thomas Longosiwa (KEN) 30:04  Priscah Cheronno (KEN) 21:32
81st 2013[8]  Muktar Edris (ETH) 30:08  Afera Godfay (ETH) 21:56
82nd 2014[9]  Paul Tanui (KEN) 29:59  Faith Kipyegon (KEN) 20:54
83rd 2015[10]  Muktar Edris (ETH) 33:50  Violet Jelagat (KEN) 24:40

Statistics

Winners by country

Country Men's race Women's race Total
 Italy 27 3 30
 Ethiopia 14 6 20
 Kenya 12 6 18
 United States 2 4 6
 Yugoslavia 4 2 6
 Belgium 5 0 5
 United Kingdom 1 3 4
 Australia 1 2 3
 France 2 1 3
 Morocco 2 1 3
 Tanzania 2 1 3
 Hungary 0 2 2
 Poland 0 2 2
 Portugal 0 2 2
 Qatar 2 0 2
 Ukraine 2 0 2
 Bahrain 0 1 1
 Eritrea 1 0 1
 Soviet Union 1 0 1
 Spain 1 0 1
  Switzerland 0 1 1
 Tunisia 1 0 1
 Turkey 0 1 1
 Uganda 1 0 1

Multiple winners

Men
Athlete Country Wins Years
Luigi Pellin  Italy 3 1934, 1935, 1936
Romano Maffeis  Italy 2 1937, 1940
Salvatore Constantino  Italy 2 1942, 1943
Giuseppe Beviacqua  Italy 2 1944, 1949
Giuseppe Italia  Italy 2 1948, 1950
Luigi Pelliccioli  Italy 2 1951, 1952
Franjo Mihalić  Yugoslavia 3 1957, 1958, 1961
Michel Jazy  France 2 1972, 1973
Filbert Bayi  Tanzania 2 1975, 1976
Leon Schots  Belgium 2 1979, 1980
Paul Kipkoech  Kenya 2 1987, 1988
Fita Bayisa  Ethiopia 4 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
Paul Tergat  Kenya 2 1996, 1998
Charles Kamathi  Kenya 2 2000, 2001
Serhiy Lebid  Ukraine 2 2003, 2007
Saif Saaeed Shaheen  Qatar 2 2005, 2009
Muktar Edris  Ethiopia 2 2013, 2015

Women
Athlete Country Wins Years
Rita Ridley  United Kingdom 3 1971, 1972, 1974
Grete Waitz Anderson  Norway 6 1978, 1979, 1980,
1981, 1982, 1984
Lynn Jennings  United States 2 1986, 1987
Luchia Yishak  Ethiopia 2 1991, 1992
Albertina Dias  Portugal 2 1994, 1995
Merima Denboba  Ethiopia 2 1996, 1998
Olivera Jevtić  Yugoslavia 2 2001, 2002
Anikó Kálovics  Hungary 2 2002, 2006

See also

References

General
Specific
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Cinque Mulini: Italy's bonkers cross country race. Spikes Magazine. Retrieved on 2009-10-20.
  2. Cross Country Permit Meets. IAAF (2009). Retrieved on 2009-10-20.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 History of Cinque Mulini (Italian). Cinque Mulini. Retrieved on 2010-02-05.
  4. Cinque Mulini. ARRS (2010-02-03). Retrieved on 2010-02-05.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Sampaolo, Diego (2011-02-06). Lamdassem and Bekele are triumphant in the Cinque Mulini. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-02-06.
  6. Sampaolo, Diego (2010-01-31). Mesfin comes of age with 21st birthday victory at Cinque Mulini. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-02-05.
  7. Sampaolo, Diego (2012-03-18). Kenyan sweep at Cinque Mulini. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-03-25.
  8. Sampaolo, Diego (2013-02-03). Ethiopia's Edris and Godfay take the Cinque Mulini honours. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-02-28.
  9. Sampaolo, Diego (2014-01-26). Kenyan double for Tanui and Kipyegon at Cinque Mulini. IAAF. Retrieved on 2014-01-26.
  10. Sampaolo, Diego (2015-02-16). Edris wins second Cinque Mulini title. IAAF. Retrieved on 2015-02-16.

External links