- The new trail running event, organized by Fondazione Cortina in partnership with Karpos, will take place on July 25 to symbolically unite Cortina 1956 and Cortina 2026
- Two routes—26 and 56 km long—that wind through trails, forests, and iconic sites of the Games, offering a chance to experience the region’s sporting and natural heritage
Cortina d’Ampezzo, May 25, 2026 — An imaginary thread linking the 1956 Cortina Winter Olympics and the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games. A route that winds through places etched in the memory of the global sports community and, step by step, brings them back to life for those who love the mountains, running, and the stories these lands have to tell. This is the inspiration behind “CORTINA 56-26 – The Legacy Trail,” the new trail running event to be held on July 25, conceived by the Cortina Foundation in partnership with Karpos: a project designed to transform Cortina’s Olympic heritage into a firsthand sporting experience.
More than just a race, “56-26” aims to be a journey into the sporting and collective memory of a community that thrives on the mountains and major international events, of which the two editions of the Games are the pinnacle. It is, therefore, a dialogue between the past and the future that takes shape along trails, through forests, over ridges, and at iconic venues—the setting for some of winter sports’ most memorable competitions.
There are two distances available, allowing each participant to choose the option that best suits their abilities and goals: 26 km and 56 km. Both routes have been designed to offer an engaging experience, showcasing Cortina’s natural and sporting heritage.
The 26-km race will start in the heart of town, beneath the bell tower, and end in Zuel, at the Olympic Ski Jump. Along the route, runners will pass by some of Ampezzo’s most iconic sports landmarks: the Olympic Ice Stadium, the Eugenio Monti bobsled track, Col Druscié, and the Olympia delle Tofane.
The 56-km course, which starts and finishes at the same location, will further expand the narrative of the Olympic region by also connecting the Faloria—the “Ilio Colli” Vitelli slope—and other historic venues, creating a longer and more challenging but equally spectacular route.
For those who would like to experience the race together, a “pairs relay” format will also be available.
“Cortina boasts a deep and authentic connection to sports and is—let’s not forget—the only Italian town to have hosted two editions of the Olympic Games. “With this new event, which we intend to make an annual tradition, we want to build a bridge between the past and the future, showcasing our region through an authentic sporting experience open to both athletes and anyone who wishes to feel part of these pages of history,” said Stefano Longo, President of Fondazione Cortina.
“The partnership that binds us to Fondazione Cortina and the Cortina 56-26 event is the natural evolution of a collaboration that has kept us active in the Ampezzo valley for years. For Karpos, this is a friendly, familiar territory. We work with a team that fully shares our values. A trail that winds through the history shaped by the Olympics can only serve as a testament to the important and beautiful achievements of the past and as a bridge to what we can accomplish together,” commented Marco Capretta, Marketing Manager at Karpos.
For more information and to register—registration is open until July 11—please visit the event’s website.