Marianna Longa
Marianna Longa ( born April 26, 1979 in Tirano ) is a former Italian cross-country skier.
Life and career
Longa took in 1997 at the Junior World Championships in Canmore for the first time in an international competition. In the victory of Estonian Kristina Šmigun about 5 km classic she evidences the ninth. Two years later, in Saalfelden, she won the bronze medal over the same distance behind Lina Andersson and Pirjo Manninen. About 15 km freestyle she finished in seventh place. At the end of the 1999/2000 season Longa was used in the domestic Bormio for the first time in the Cross Country World Cup. About 5 km classic she reached the 39th and in the pursuit of the 43rd. In December 2001, Longa won the sprint in Asiago with 24th place their first World Cup points. Also, over the distance of 15 km classic in Val di Fiemme, they made it into the top 30 athletes. These results secured her a spot in the Italian team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. There she was able to convince 10-kilometer classic, so that she was also nominated for the relay competition, in which the Italian team came in sixth place with 20. In the season 2002/ 03 Longa succeeded in Oberhof with seventh 10-kilometer classic for the first time made it into the top ten. In the Nordic World Ski Championships 2003 in Val di Fiemme home she reached about 15 km classic eleventh place and 10-kilometer classic the 20 place. With the season they finished in seventh place. In February 2005, Longa announced that she was expecting a child.
After the birth of their son Michele Longa returned to the beginning of the 2006/07 season back in the World Cup. After several strong performances, especially in the Tour de Ski, where she could occupy the 15th place, classical specialist succeeded at the World Cup in Otepaeae over a distance of 10 km classic fifth place her until then best career result. Also at the Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo, she managed eighth place in the pursuit to make it into the top ten. At the end of the season they finished in 19th place in the overall World Cup and 13th place in the World Cup distance. After their most successful season Longa was in November 2007, surprisingly personal reasons her resignation from active competitive sports known. However, in March 2008, they return again in the Italian World Cup team. At the World Cup in Lahti classic celebrated with fifth place over 10 kilometers a strong comeback. At the World Cup finals in Bormio, she managed fourth place 10-kilometer classic. This result could be repeated at the beginning of the 2008/09 season in Kuusamo. In January 2009, she reached in Vancouver in pursuit about 15 km with second place their first podium. On 30 January she celebrated her first victory at the mass start competition in Rybinsk. Your best-ever season they crowned at the Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec by winning the silver medal on the 15 km classic Aino - Kaisa Saarinen behind.