Angelika Rainer repeats 'Pungitopo' (8c+) at Arco

This line had captured my attention ever since I saw footage of Adam Ondra’s first ascent in 2022. Arriving at the crag, when viewed from the side, the wall curves slightly like a sail; from the front, it appears to be a seemingly smooth slab, split by a beautiful diagonal crack. A stunning line.

Over the years, I’ve realised that while I love overhangs, my true strength lies in technical, crimpy climbs. That’s why I’ve always wanted to try this one.

Last year, while climbing in Sardinia with Klaas Willems, he mentioned that he’d also wanted to try this route and so we decided to try it together. When Klaas arrived in Arco in mid-March, I had just returned from an ice climbing trip in Canada and, due to a shoulder injury from November, I hadn’t trained for three months. I’d spent a perfect winter mixing ice, rock, and dry-tooling, all the while sticking to easy routes to avoid straining my shoulder.

It wasn’t the ideal starting point, and on the route, initially I struggled immensely: I could barely grip the micro-crimps, let alone do any of the sequences. The first section is brutally technical: you have to latch a thin flake as a sidepull, then do a massive drop-knee. Without seeing Adam’s video, I’d have sworn it was impossible! The crux is a sideways shuffle down to a crimp, followed by a cross-through to the next hold. It felt at the absolute edge of my reach and abilities.

While Klaas linked the route in just days with an awe-inspiring performance, I returned repeatedly. Progress, however, came faster than expected: on my eighth day, the moves that had maxed me out weeks earlier flowed seamlessly!

Two years ago, I climbed Solitary Souls — also in Arco and at the same grade. The two routes couldn’t be more different: Solitary Souls is a 35-meter overhanging endurance test on jugs and pockets, while Pungitopo is short, intense, and demands precision on razor-thin edges. In the two years between these climbs, injuries and moments of doubt have made this ascent deeply meaningful to me.

- Angelika Rainer, Arco, Italy