| Harimisa Razafinavalona, executive director of Ortana. |
The Analamanga Regional Tourism Office (Ortana) opens the 2024 Trails season in Madagascar, with that of Ambodirano. It will take place on March 9, in the district of Atsimondrano. The event will also mark the fifth edition of the Ultra Trek of the Sacred Hills (UTCS) of Imerina, explains Harimisa Razafinavalona, executive director of Ortana, during a press briefing on Saturday at the Antaninarenina garden.
No less than three hundred trailers, men and women combined, from eight nationalities, will compete during this major event. There will be two hundred and forty-eight Malagasy, thirty-three French and two Belgians, while China, Italy, Ireland, Brazil and Great Britain will each have one representative.
This “Ambodirano Trail” will run over a distance of 31 km with 1232 meters of elevation gain. It will leave from Fenoarivo, at the Benasandratra field, to arrive at Ambatofotsy. Combining sport and tourism, Ortana, which is an organization under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourism and Crafts, takes advantage of the event to promote and develop tourism in Analamanga, while introducing people to the region.
“This event is an opportunity for Ortana to begin the celebration of its twentieth year of existence. As a promoter of tourism in the Analamanga region, the event will affect twenty-one municipalities and two hundred and seventy-seven fokontany. The results obtained from the runners enter the international ranking on the ITRA which opens the way to the UTMB (Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc),” confides Harimisa Razafinavalona.
The ITRA rating is the best-known performance index in trail running. It is used to establish the benchmark trail ranking, but also to compare your own trail performance. Security arrangements have been made for the peace of mind of participants.
The “Ambodirano Trail” will allow participants to appreciate the most beautiful views of Antananarivo and its watersheds, to admire its high hills, and to take a historic dive into the sacred hills of Ambohijoky, Rafotsirabodo and ‘Ampandrana-Ifandro.
Famous trailers like Avotriniaina Tahirinirina Jeannot, Kenny Jo Raharison Raoto Andriamanambe and Niry Razanamalala would probably be at the rendezvous on Saturday.
Donné Raherinjatovo