Kailas FUGA has announced the formation of a new all-female Italian talent team, bringing together five athletes who are combining high-level racing ambitions with demanding careers and family commitments.
The newly-created FUGA Talent Team features Italian runners Benedetta Broggi, Enrica Dematteis, Luisa Dematteis, Nicol Guidolin and Alice Minetti, all of whom have established themselves among the country’s leading trail and mountain runners across a range of disciplines.
The initiative forms part of the brand’s wider commitment to increasing support for women in trail running, both through athlete sponsorship and partnerships with female-focused events.
The athletes gathered for their first training camp in San Pellegrino in May, taking part in coaching sessions, physiotherapy, nutrition workshops and season planning ahead of a busy summer racing schedule.
Strong results across the Talent team
Among the most recognisable names are twin sisters Luisa and Enrica Dematteis, who continue to balance elite competition with careers as nurses.
Luisa recently claimed victory at the Vibram Trail Mottarone 60km, while Enrica finished third woman at Istria 100 by UTMB earlier this season. Both favour longer and more technical ultras and are targeting the UTMB 100M in Chamonix later this year.
Joining them on the UTMB start line will be Nicol Guidolin, who switched from mountain biking to trail running during the pandemic and quickly rose through the ranks. In 2025 she secured third place at the World Masters Mountain Running Championships Long Distance and finished runner-up at Ultra Trail Vipava Valley shortly after becoming a mother.
Benedetta Broggi has built her reputation in vertical racing and mountain running, winning the Skymarathon Sentiero 4 Luglio Vertical and earning selection for this year’s European Championships uphill race in Slovenia. A practising doctor based near Milan, Broggi often fits training around a demanding work schedule.
Meanwhile Alice Minetti arrives with significant pedigree on shorter and faster trail races. Ninth overall in the 2025 Golden Trail World Series, she recently left teaching to focus on coaching and racing full-time. Alongside her own competitive ambitions, she now coaches around 100 athletes and manages a local running community of approximately 400 runners.
Supporting women in trail running
The launch reflects a growing trend within trail running towards greater investment in female athletes and female participation.
Kailas FUGA says the project is designed to support athletes who often combine elite-level performance with careers, family responsibilities and community leadership roles.
The team launch follows the company’s backing of two women-focused events in Europe: the inaugural Dolomiti Women’s Trail in Italy last month and the Swiss Women’s Trail, to be held on 12th September.
Both races have been developed specifically to encourage greater female participation in trail running and create environments designed around women’s experiences within the sport.
RunUltra readers may also recognise the brand through its support of RunUltra Women’s Community Run held in the Peak District last year. The Community run brought together women from across the trail running community for a guided run through the stunning Peak District, designed to encourage participation and build confidence on the trails. Kailas FUGA provided support for the event by supplying demo EX330 trail running shoes and the Air 7 Running Vest for the women to try as part of its wider commitment to increasing opportunities for women within the sport.
The initiative also builds on the work of the FUGA Mountain Club, a global community of competitive trail runners which has developed a strong focus on supporting women through coaching, workshops and female-only events.
With the European trail season entering its busiest period, the new Talent Team provides a platform for five athletes who are already making an impact on the trails while demonstrating that elite competition can coexist with careers, family life and community involvement.
All images courtesy of Kailas FUGA
