Competitiva e Camminata Golesana

The Competitiva e Camminata Golesana is a village road race held every autumn in Baganzola, a frazione of the municipality of Parma about six kilometres north of the historic centre. Its name recalls the Golese, the former municipality that had Baganzola as its seat from 1806 until it was merged into Parma in 1943. The event has a long history behind it: its 37th edition was already run in 2013, which makes it one of the oldest grassroots races in the Parma countryside.

The programme combines two formats. The competitive race covers about 10 km, starts at around 9 am and produces a timed ranking. Alongside it, the non-competitive camminata welcomes walkers, families and occasional runners, in the spirit of the popular community walks found all over Emilia-Romagna. The event traditionally takes place on the first Sunday of October and comes just before the Baganzola sagra, the village festival run that same afternoon by the local club, with stalls, local associations and entertainment on the provincial road, which is closed to traffic.

The terrain holds no surprises: Baganzola lies on the Po plain, at around 40 metres above sea level, on the left bank of the Parma torrent. The perfectly flat landscape makes this a fast race, suited both to a first 10K and to a speed test early in the autumn season. The camminata can be enjoyed at any pace and suits all ages.

The village is worth a look after the finish. First recorded in 918, Baganzola was repeatedly hit by floods, including the one in 1180 that swept away its church. The Torrione, a late-medieval tower completed in 1438 by the Valeri family, still dominates the village, as does the church of San Pietro Apostolo, which keeps the base of its 13th-century bell tower. Several 18th-century villas, such as Villa Pezzani, Villa Bocchi and Villa Varoli, reflect the area's agricultural and aristocratic past. After the Second World War, the village grew with the Salvarani kitchen company, whose former site now hosts the Parma exhibition centre.

On the practical side, Baganzola is easy to reach from Parma and the A1 motorway, close to the airport in the Golese area. As with any competitive race in Italy, the timed ranking is open to runners with a club membership or a medical certificate of fitness for competitive sport, while the walk is open to a wider public. Entry details and route information are published by the local organisers as the event approaches.