Double gold for San Marino at the inaugural Dog Warrior Run in Valtorta, a round of the Aics Italian Canicross Cup. The star of the day was Sammarinese athlete Paola Carinato, who climbed to the top step of the podium twice — first with Icy and then with Arya.
The event, organized by the Canicross Team under Edoardo Errico, drew more than 80 dog-and-runner pairs from across Italy to the mountain location. At an altitude of 1,350 metres and with temperatures around 17 degrees, conditions were ideal for tackling a course that wound through woodland, grassy terrain and a series of climbs and descents.
San Marino’s first triumph came in the scooter event with Paola Carinato and Icy, a nine-year-old border collie. The pair, already bronze medallists at the 2026 ICF World Championships, tackled the five-kilometre course at a fast pace, overtaking several competitors who had started ahead of them. The first kilometre was covered in 3 minutes and 11 seconds, setting the stage for their overall victory and gold medal.
A few hours later, Carinato was back in action in the canicross category, this time partnered with Arya, a three-year-old German shorthaired pointer, over a 3.5-kilometre course. The key to success was managing the tough final climb: once past the toughest stretch, the Sammarinese pair found their rhythm on the following descent and crossed the finish line to claim their second gold of the day.
The event also featured the new Warrior Dog Obstacle Race, a two-kilometre obstacle course with dogs featuring water crossings, straw bales, logs and tunnels. Canicross Team San Marino took part with the pairs Paola Carinato-Icy and Ylenia Gasperoni-Arya, finishing the event in fourth place.
“These races helped break the ice after a long competitive break. The last two months have been tough for the whole team, since the heat and humidity have made it impossible to train properly with the dogs. I’m really pleased with today’s results, which are above all down to the great bond we share with our dogs,” commented Sammarinese champion Paola Carinato after the races.
