International Sports Day is celebrated on the 6th of April. The news for some disciplines.

[On the cover: AI generated images]

Among the many celebrations that populate the busy calendar of the entire year, International Sports Day, which falls on the 6th of April, is the one that has a very important meaning. In fact, the anniversary, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013, celebrates Sport for Development and Peace, thus promoting sport as an instrument for peace, for a bond between peoples, for gender equality, and for social integration. Added to these values is the role of sustainable sport that is attentive to the planet and to climate crises. Hence, the idea of sports disciplines as a vehicle for increasingly current and universal principles, commitments, and intentions.

If there are many sports, the most practised and most followed in the world is football with 3.5 billion fans; then come swimming, gymnastics, boxing, volleyball, tennis, basketball, the latter however surpassed by cricket which is the national sport in some Asian countries, with thousands of fans.

Many of these sports are presided over, both in terms of clothing and footwear, by global giants with a production of thousands of garments and pairs of shoes a year; however, there are also Italian brands that have made their way over time into the sports market, either due to the impeccable workmanship of the product or due to the research on materials and the recent attention to sustainability. We offer you some of them with the latest news.

Football

Pantofola D’Oro focuses on lightness with the Superleggera 2.0 model. Weighing just 175 grams, it’s made from soft, supple kangaroo leather and features flat laces for optimal ball control. The Superleggera 2.0 was produced with the same artisanal techniques used when Pantofola d’Oro was founded in 1886. This means that by wearing it you not only declare your pursuit of excellence, but you also bring with you more than 130 years of history of Italian football.

Cycling

Gaerne, a company with 60 years of experience, offers the top-of-the-range CARBON G-STL shoe: the upper is made in a single piece of microfibre with laser drilling, the anatomically shaped ANATOMIC HEEL CUP 1.0 heel, combined with the TARSAL technology SUPPORT SYSTEM 1.0 guarantees the perfect positioning of the foot inside the shoe, the INFIT CLOSURE SYSTEM has six fastening zones that provide infinite adjustment possibilities and a precise and personalised closure. It is also equipped with BOA Li2, an innovative rotor with progressive micro-adjustments, with FIT TONGUE 1.0 which uses a variable thickness in its longitudinal and transversal sections, obtained thanks to the seamless construction technique. The insole is anatomical and breathable, and the lightweight, ultra-thin woven carbon fibre sole ensures that every watt of power is transferred to your pedals.

Trekking

SCARPA has designed the Mescalito TRK Planet GTX model that combines sustainability and performance. The summer version is made in Perspair® fabric: high-performing, light and breathable, seamless with 45% recycled yarns, inserts in PUTEK HYPERTEX® resistant to any type of abrasion. The Gore-Tex Bluesign® membrane contains 98% recycled fabrics, and the Vibram Ecostep Evo sole is a compound that contains up to 30% recycled rubber.

Running

Diadora offers the Mythos Blushield Volo 3, a technical running shoe with reduced environmental impact, born from the collaboration with ACBC and certified Veganok. The upper, lining and insole are, in fact, made with post-consumer recycled polyester obtained from PET bottles and GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified, with logo and details in natural cork, applied on a cotton fabric base. The midsole with Blushield technology – which corrects asymmetry in running – is in Bio-EVA, while the sole is in ReRubber, a very flexible and resistant compound made up of virgin and post-consumer recycled components.

Tennis

Lotto now offers the ‘Raptor 100’ for men, a model that maintains the characteristics of the past, such as support and stability, but improves in terms of the lightness, comfort, and breathability of the upper. The outsole has been completely revamped with the introduction of the new Hyperpulse system. Innovative midsole technology provides extra energy return and excellent cushioning. The tread compound was developed with Vibram.