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The Cinque Mulini is an annual cross country running race in San Vittore Olona, Italy. First held in 1933, the course is unusual in that it revolves around a number of water mills along Olona river, which lend the competition its name – meaning Five Mills in Italian.[1] It is one of the IAAF cross country permit meetings that act as qualifiers for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.[2] As one of the most prestigious meets, numerous world record holders and Olympic champions have competed at the Cinque Mulini throughout its history.[1]
| Cinque Mulini | |
|---|---|
 The Montoli mill, one of several near the course. | |
| Date | Late January or Early February |
| Location | San Vittore Olona, Italy  |
| Event type | Cross country |
| Distance | 10.2 km for men 6.2 km for women |
| Established | 1933 |
| Official site | Cinque Mulini |
| Participants | 100 finishers (2022) 88 (2021) 109 (2020) 74 (2019) |
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Giovanni Malerba organised the first competition in 1933 as a reaction to a competition in a neighbouring village which revolved around seven clock towers.[1] The competition has been held every year since its inception, including throughout the Second World War and in 1939 when the Federazione Italiana di Atletica Leggera (FIDAL) ordered that all cross country competitions be postponed.[3] The course was altered from 10 km to 12 in the late 1930s, in order to accommodate all five mills.[1] The race began to grow after being selected as the course for the Italian Cross Country Championship in 1946 and 1949. The competition became an international one in 1952 and Tunisian runner Ahmed Labidi became the first foreign winner two years later. By the early 1960s, Olympic silver medallist Franjo Mihalić had brought the race to new heights, taking three victories over five editions.[3]
A junior race was introduced in 1960,[3] the first international women's race was held in 1971, and student races were added to the program in the late 1970s. Olympic and World champions graced the course at every edition in the 1970s. By the mid-eighties, East African runners had established themselves, frequently reaching the podium in the senior races. It was part of the IAAF World Cross Challenge the following decade, remaining at the forefront of European cross country running. The course was significantly changed throughout the 2000s,[3] only the Cozzi and Meraviglia mills remained as part of the course and gradually only the semi-functioning Meraviglia was included.[1]
Both former champion David Bedford and meet organiser Vito Garofalo stressed that the competition's longevity is due to, in part, the support the race receives from the local community.[1] The race was elected to serve as the Italian national cross country championships in 1996; Gennaro Di Napoli and Patrizia Di Napoli took the honours.[4]
The event hosted the European Cross Country Club Championships alongside the traditional race in 2011; Portuguese club Grupo Desportivo e Recreativo Conforlimpa won the men's team title while the women's title went to Turkey's Üsküdar Belediyesi Spor Kulübü.[5]
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National era
| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (m:s) | Women's winner | Time (m:s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1933 | Mario Fiocchi (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 2nd | 1934 | Luigi Pellin (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 3rd | 1935 | Luigi Pellin (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 4th | 1936 | Luigi Pellin (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 5th | 1937 | Romano Maffeis (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 6th | 1938 | Umberto de Florentis (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 7th | 1939 | Vittorio Avila (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 8th | 1940 | Antonio Vitali (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 9th | 1941 | Romano Maffeis (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 10th | 1942 | Salvatore Costantino (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 11th | 1943 | Salvatore Costantino (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 12th | 1944 | Giuseppe Beviacqua (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 13th | 1945 | Armando Cesarato (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 14th | 1946 | Aldo Rossi (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 15th | 1947 | Sestini Cristoforo (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 16th | 1948 | Giuseppe Italia (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 17th | 1949 | Giuseppe Beviacqua (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 18th | 1950 | Giuseppe Italia (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 19th | 1951 | Luigi Pelliccioli (ITA) |
Not held | — |
International era
| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (m:s) | Women's winner | Time (m:s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th | 1952 | Luigi Pelliccioli (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 21st | 1953 | Agostino Conti (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 22nd | 1954 |  Ahmed Labidi (TUN) |
Not held | — | |
| 23rd | 1955 | Giacomo Pepicelli (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 24th | 1956 | Rino Lavelli (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 25th | 1957 |  Franjo Mihalić (YUG) |
Not held | — | |
| 26th | 1958 | Franjo Mihalić (YUG) |
Not held | — | |
| 27th | 1959 | Francesco Perrone (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 28th | 1960 | Gianfranco Baraldi (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 29th | 1961 | Franjo Mihalić (YUG) |
Not held | — | |
| 30th | 1962 |  Michel Jazy (FRA) |
Not held | — | |
| 31st | 1963 | Michel Jazy (FRA) |
Not held | — | |
| 32nd | 1964 | Antonio Ambu (ITA) |
Not held | — | |
| 33rd | 1965 |  Billy Mills (USA) |
Not held | — | |
| 34th | 1966 |  Mike Turner (GBR) |
Not held | — | |
| 35th | 1967 |  Nikolai Dutov (URS) |
Not held | — | |
| 36th | 1968 |  Gaston Roelants (BEL) |
Not held | — | |
| 37th | 1969 |  Kipchoge Keino (KEN) |
Not held | — | |
| 38th | 1970 | Naftali Temu (KEN) |
Not held | — | |
| 39th | 1971 | Dane Korica (YUG) |
Rita Ridley (GBR) |
||
| 40th | 1972 | David Bedford (GBR) |
Rita Ridley (GBR) |
||
| 41st | 1973 | Frank Shorter (USA) |
Paola Pigni (ITA) |
||
| 42nd | 1974 | Emiel Puttemans (BEL) |
Rita Ridley (GBR) |
||
| 43rd | 1975 |  Filbert Bayi (TAN) |
Gabriella Dorio (ITA) |
||
| 44th | 1976 | Filbert Bayi (TAN) |
 Renata Pentlinowska (POL) |
||
| 45th | 1977 |  Yohannes Mohamed (ETH) |
Bronisława Ludwichowska (POL) |
||
| 46th | 1978 | Willy Polleunis (BEL) |
 Grete Waitz (NOR) |
||
| 47th | 1979 | Léon Schots (BEL) |
Grete Waitz (NOR) |
||
| 46th | 1980 | Léon Schots (BEL) |
Grete Waitz (NOR) |
||
| 49th | 1981 | Mohamed Kedir (ETH) |
Grete Waitz (NOR) |
||
| 50th | 1982 | Eshetu Tura (ETH) |
Grete Waitz (NOR) |
||
| 51st | 1983 |  Robert de Castella (AUS) |
Margaret Groos (USA) |
||
| 52nd | 1984 | Bekele Debele (ETH) |
Grete Waitz (NOR) |
||
| 53rd | 1985 | Fesseha Abebe (ETH) |
Betty Springs (USA) |
||
| 54th | 1986 | Alberto Cova (ITA) |
Lynn Jennings (USA) |
||
| 55th | 1987 | Paul Kipkoech (KEN) |
Lynn Jennings (USA) |
||
| 56th | 1988 | Paul Kipkoech (KEN) |
Annette Sergent (FRA) |
||
| 57th | 1989 | John Ngugi (KEN) |
Jacqueline Perkins (AUS) |
||
| 58th | 1990 | Moses Tanui (KEN) |
Nadia Dandolo (ITA) |
||
| 59th | 1991 |  Khalid Skah (MAR) |
Luchia Yishak (ETH) |
||
| 60th | 1992 | Fita Bayisa (ETH) |
Luchia Yishak (ETH) |
||
| 61st | 1993 | Fita Bayisa (ETH) |
Esther Kiplagat (KEN) |
||
| 62nd | 1994 | Fita Bayisa (ETH) |
 Albertina Dias (POR) |
||
| 63rd | 1995 | Fita Bayisa (ETH) |
Albertina Dias (POR) |
||
| 64th | 1996 | Paul Tergat (KEN) |
Merima Denboba (ETH) |
||
| 65th | 1997 | Girma Tolla (ETH) |
Gete Wami (ETH) |
||
| 66th | 1998 | Paul Tergat (KEN) |
Merima Denboba (ETH) |
||
| 67th | 1999 | Salah Hissou (MAR) |
 Anita Weyermann (SUI) |
||
| 68th | 2000 | Charles Kamathi (KEN) |
Asmae Leghzaoui (MAR) |
||
| 69th | 2001 | Charles Kamathi (KEN) |
 Olivera Jevtić (FRY) |
||
| 70th | 2002 | Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) |
Olivera Jevtić (FRY) |
||
| 71st | 2003 |  Serhiy Lebid (UKR) |
Alice Timbilil (KEN) |
||
| 72nd | 2004 |  Boniface Kiprop (UGA) |
Zakia Mrisho (TAN) |
||
| 73rd | 2005 |  Saif Shaheen (QAT) |
Benita Johnson (AUS) |
||
| 74th | 2006 | Paul Koech (KEN) |
 Anikó Kálovics (HUN) |
||
| 75th | 2007 | Serhiy Lebid (UKR) |
 Maryam Jamal (BHR) |
||
| 76th | 2008 |  Zersenay Tadese (ERI) |
Pauline Korikwiang (KEN) |
||
| 77th | 2009 | Saif Shaheen (QAT) |
Anikó Kálovics (HUN) |
||
| 78th | 2010[6] | Hunegnaw Mesfin (ETH) |
28:03 | Nancy Langat (KEN) |
19:25 |
| 79th | 2011[5] |  Ayad Lamdassem (ESP) |
28:03 |  Alemitu Degfa (TUR) |
20:28 |
| 80th | 2012[7] | Thomas Longosiwa (KEN) |
30:04 | Priscah Cheronno (KEN) |
21:32 |
| 81st | 2013[8] | Muktar Edris (ETH) |
30:08 | Afera Godfay (ETH) |
21:56 |
| 82nd | 2014[9] | Paul Tanui (KEN) |
29:59 | Faith Kipyegon (KEN) |
20:54 |
| 83rd | 2015[10] | Muktar Edris (ETH) |
33:50 | Violet Jelagat (KEN) |
24:40 |
| 84th | 2016[11] | Jairus Birech (KEN) |
34:38 | Faith Kipyegon (KEN) |
18:15 |
| 85th | 2017[12] | Selemon Barega (ETH) |
33:43 | Beyenu Degefa (ETH) |
18:23 |
| 86th | 2018[13] | Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) |
34:00 | Letesenbet Gidey (ETH) |
18:14 |
| 87th | 2019[14] | Jairus Birech (KEN) |
33:05 | Winfred Yavi (BHR) |
17:50 |
| 88th | 2020[15] | Leonard Bett (KEN) |
32:08 | Winfred Yavi (BHR) |
17:22 |
| 89th | 2021[16] | Nibret Melak (ETH) |
28:57 | Tsehay Gemechu (ETH) |
18:53 |
| 90th | 2022[17] | Nibret Melak (ETH) |
28:33 | Teresia Muthoni (KEN) |
19:40 |
| 91st | 2023[18] | Gideon Rono (KEN) |
29:00 | Beatrice Chebet (KEN) |
19:41 |
| 92nd | 17 Nov 2024[19] |  Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto (KEN) | 27:26 |  Yenenesh Shimket (ETH) | 18:35 |
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Winners by country
| Country | Men's race | Women's race | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 27 | 3 | 30 |
| Ethiopia | 17 | 9 | 26 |
| Kenya | 16 | 9 | 25 |
 United States | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Belgium | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Yugoslavia | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| United Kingdom | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Australia | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Bahrain | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| France | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Morocco | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Tanzania | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| FR Yugoslavia | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Hungary | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Poland | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Portugal | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Qatar | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Uganda | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Ukraine | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Eritrea | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Soviet Union | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Spain | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Switzerland | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Tunisia | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Turkey | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Multiple winners
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|
- Last updated January 2016
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