On the morning of May 3, the 13th annual Beat the Bells Run took place at TASIS, with 26 community members setting off from campus at 9:15 AM. The challenge: run to Lake Lugano and back before the bells of Chiesa di Sant'Abbondio rang at 10:00 AM. TASIS Creative Specialist Graham Pearsall claimed victory for the fourth consecutive year, finishing with an impressive time of 27 minutes and 32 seconds. The course, originally developed in 2010 by former Director of University and College Counseling Greg Birk, spans just under seven kilometers with a demanding 340 meters of elevation change. This year, 20 of the 26 participants successfully beat the bells, demonstrating the physical endurance and community spirit that define this annual tradition.
The top ten finishers included Physical Education Department Chair Tom Lill (31:06), Sébastien Lill ’33 (31:49), Jack Schlesinger ’27 (32:11), Creative Assistant Vitor Mendes (32:41), High School Science Teacher Robert Schlesinger (33:23), High School History Teacher Phil Altman (34:20), guest Monica Foster (35:02), High School Science Teacher Brett Foster (35:21), and High School English Department Chair Dr. Chris Love (35:30). The field was diverse, featuring one Elementary School student (Sébastien Lill ’33), four Middle School students (Max Nielsen ’32, David Vogt ’32, Damir Pisanyuk ’30, and Dani Khassanov ’32), and eight High School students (Jack Schlesinger ’27, Alessa Alfaro ’27, Allegra Garcia-Atance Arimont ’28, Elizabeth Pacini ’26, Gáspár Habony ’27, Yuto Shimizu ’26, Manting Zhang ’28, and Mingcheng Zheng ’26). Eleven faculty members, including Graham Pearsall, Tom Lill, Vitor Mendes, Robert Schlesinger, Phil Altman, Brett Foster, Chris Love, Middle School Intern Christos Ionas, Health and Wellness Educator Carolyn Annett, Facilities Director Michele Dineli, and High School Math Teacher Eva Nijssen, along with one TASIS parent, Mikkel Nielson, completed the course. Athletic Director Masa Yo ’04, Associate Athletic Director Alex Zanecchia ’02, and numerous volunteers ensured the event’s success.
