Far West Masters - Viva Italia Trophy
Masters Racing with Italian Passion

The Viva Italia Trophy was created by John Gianotti in 1982 to honor the passion of the Viva Italia!!!! spirit he so inimitably brought and shared with all who raced with him throughout his own stellar career as a masters competitor and champion. The Viva Italia cry honored many victory celebrations, yet its essence is expressed by John's answer to the inevitable race-day question "So how was your run?":

It was the best run on my life!!!

The original Viva Italia trophy was begun in 1982 and presented by John as a special award at the season awards banquet, using an ever-changing selection criteria known only to him and revealed to the expectant audience with great fanfare (and general hilarity). In 1997, John changed the award to a special trophy presented to the fastest man and woman in the annual SL at Heavenly Valley, his racing and skiing home, using an age-handicapping formula similar to the Bernard Cup combined trophy scoring.

The 2008 Viva Italia winners are Julie Rolfe (W50), and Pavel Bosin (M50), The winners each year, with the age class they competed in: