giovedì 28 ottobre 2010

Il Frutto del Diavolo 8c+/9a!

Hey there!
I'm finally back at home(for more than a couple of days) from almost one month and half on the road...
If you read my previous blogpost you know I spent alot of time in a new crag near Trento! It is a great wall with lots of hard new routes(so far three 8c's or harder and a couple of 8b+'s) and still lots of hard projects!
One day I was lowering down from a route just close to it I noticed a line on the left of the main wall! A few days later I put a static rope on the top of the wall so I could check the route from a closer point of view! It looked like there were holds and features on it!! I was super syked!...
The day after I took the drill and after lots of hours of hard work,sweat,blood and dirt I finally finished the route!! Il Frutto del Diavolo was officially born!

I was too tired to try it the same day but I started doing it the day after...
During the first tries I had hard times to find the beta for every sequence and clean the route. I immediately realized that the route would have been very very hard.
I couldn't imagine how to do the crux moves on the first tries...

After I came back from Sicily I felt well rested and in good shape so I started trying it seriously for a few days until I found all the betas and I had all the moves in mind!... I was ready for the first real attempts...
During the next weeks I worked hard on the route and I felt I was getting closer and closer to climb it also thank to a small beta change for the first crux!
The day of the send was really cold so we lighted a fire to warm us a little before climbing. I think this was the main reason of the send... after a good warmup I gave a first attempt but I fell when my heel slipped. After almost a hour in front of the fire I gave a second go and everything went perfectly...and after a good fight I was at the top clipping the chain of my little baby route!! A very big gratification!

Well talking about the grade I think it's very hard as always... Il Frutto del Diavolo is about 25meters long, first 10meters are about 7c+ until a small rest then a hard boulder problem I thought it could be 7c+/8a but after I found a better beta it could be around 7c now... After this first crux you have a good but a bit awkward rest with a footjam in a big pocket. Then the second crux sequence comes just a few moves after the rest with some weird moves and some phisical ones! I would call this part 8b.

I think this route could be between 8c+ and 9a. It's actually harder that many of the 8c+'s I've done in the past but a bit easier than the 9a's...mmmm difficult to say as always! Grades!!??...
I want to thank my friends Valerio,Petardo,Ale e Flami for giving me a bed and a roof during my stay in Trento/Arco! Grazie my friends!!

All the pictures are from Andrea Pandini Gruppo Struktura

lunedì 4 ottobre 2010

Arco and Trento!

Hey everybody!
What have you been up to?
Since I got back from the European Championships in Innsbruck I'm stable in Arco and Trento area chilling and having fun with friends, climbing alot in new crags, bolting new routes, working and trying to climb hard projects!! I'm super syked to be here... The climbing community is very motivated and friendly and the potential for new climbs is huge!
I've got another few days here to finish some current projects and bolt some more new routes as well!
During my time in the area I also got something done... I did a few first ascents in a new crag just outside of Trento:
- Belzebù Climbing Team 8c
- La Gabi 8c
- Scoglio de Capri 8b+
I also repeated a beautiful route near Arco called Mr.Teroldego 8c...

Me on La Gabi 8c
photo Andrea Pandini,Gruppo Struktura

Well my time in the area is almost over but I'm really looking forward to spend some more time in the near future, in this place I feel like it's becoming my second home!!
Friday I'm off to the San Vito Climbing Festival in Sicily. It's going to be a great event with almost 500 climbers from all over Italy and Europe.
During the festival I will also present my video on Action Directe!

I'm off climbing!!Peace out!...