Gioia Bebi

Lace up your running shoes, step out of your front door and explore natural, undiscovered trails in the middle of the Grisons mountains in just a few minutes... What sounds like something out of a picture book has been a reality for Gioia since she was a child. No wonder she was practically born with a love and enthusiasm for mountain sports. While she loves cross-country skiing in winter, her heart beats for trail running in the summer months.

Gioia takes the strength and focus that she gains from trail running during training with her to competitions. Her ritual before every competition: sort out her thoughts, focus on her body and breathing and consciously visualise the goals she has set herself. "The special thing about trail running for me is that the sport strengthens and helps me on both a physical and mental level," says the down-to-earth Swiss athlete. After the race, Gioia always takes a few minutes to savour the moment, relax and congratulate other participants. After all, it's part of sport to support each other and to be genuinely happy for each other's successes.

Gioia is certainly looking forward to all the upcoming trail sessions - both in training and in the competition itself. Her favourite companion? Without a doubt: the LOWA CITUX!

Gioia Bebi,

WHAT WAS YOUR BEST TRAILER/mountain experience?
"I couldn't choose just one experience. I enjoy every moment in the mountains. My favourite thing is long tours where you set off without much luggage, cool off in a beautiful alpine lake in between and enjoy the beautiful views on the trails. I also find sunrises particularly fascinating. Being on the summit early in the morning and seeing the sun rise - always a goosebump moment for me!"

HOW DO YOU OVERCOME YOUR INNER DOG WHEN TRAINING?
"I always think about how I'll feel after the trail run and that I'll feel much better afterwards than I did before. I know that doing sport clears my head after a hard day and allows me to sort out my thoughts. That motivates me to start running. My tip: Regularly scheduling runs into your daily routine - sometimes together with friends - helps you to avoid the idea of skipping running in the first place."

WHAT DOES YOUR PERFECT DAY LOOK LIKE?
"I spend a perfect day in the mountains with my friends. This includes a nice mountain tour, spending lots of time together, laughing and enjoying life. Ending the day around a campfire and sleeping under the stars would be the perfect end to the day for me."

WHICH TOUR OR WHICH TRAIL CAN YOU RECOMMEND?
"Because I live in Davos, I have a number of wonderful trails right on my doorstep that I can recommend to anyone. One of my favourite routes starts at the Flüela Pass in Davos. From there, a varied trail takes you to three wonderful glistening turquoise mountain lakes. After a quick dip in one of the three lakes, the trail leads back to the pass via the Finsterlücke. The Jöriseen lakes offer a breathtaking landscape with an impressive panorama."

WHAT OTHER HOBBIES DO YOU Pursue, apart from running?
"As well as trail running in summer, my great passion in the winter months is cross-country skiing. I was on cross-country skis for the first time at the age of three and really enjoyed the sport right from the start. I also did apparatus gymnastics regularly for several years, which I no longer do actively as a gymnast, but as a gymnastics coach. I also enjoy spending time in my garden and have a big heart for animals."

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LOWA SHOE?
"For me, it's definitely the LOWA CITUX - a very lightweight trail running shoe that still guarantees a secure grip on the ground. It also fits my rather narrow foot perfectly. I'm already looking forward to completing lots of short and fast tours with the shoe."