Melloblocco 2026: everything you need to know

Sometimes poetic wording isn’t very useful, so this is a straightforward explainer about Melloblocco 2026: registration, athletes, program, and practical information. You know that once Melloblocco begins, there’s very little time to think — just a continuous up and down of things to experience and do, without worries.

The international bouldering gathering by La Sportiva runs from Wednesday May 6 to Saturday May 9 in Val Masino, Valtellina.

Registration is open on melloblocco.it/registration/ until 18:00 on Monday the 4th of May, and there are many good reasons to pre register online. The €25 registration fee supports the event and guarantees the event bag with the boulder map, partner gadgets, and your T-shirt size. Bags and T-shirts are limited, and a good percentage has already been reserved. Spoiler: the first 500 pre registered participants who check in at the Melloblocco booth receive a free sample of chalk.

You can also register on site at the Melloblocco Village starting Wednesday May 6, but T-shirts are subject to availability — and you don’t want to miss out.

A GATHERING FOR AMATEURS AND PROS
The more than one thousand online registrants are scattered across the globe — from Bogotá to Taiwan — with many Germans and Brits, and just as many Italians from every corner of the country. Then, for four days, everyone gathers in Val Masino, chatting in a kind of climbers’ Esperanto. The meeting point are the granite boulders: around them you’ll find young and older climbers, amateurs and professionals together, free to climb for fun or to test themselves on the more challenging “prize boulders” set with creativity by the team led by Matteo De Zaiacomo and Andrea Pavan.

The map — drawn by Michele Comi and destined to be hung in your living room after the event — is wide and even more articulated this year, covering Val Masino, Val di Mello, and Bagni di Masino. Each area includes a mix of “free boulders” and one or more “prize boulders”, making it easier to meet the athletes, observe their movements, and try the same sequences.

Here are the international level climbers you’ll see wandering through meadows and woods, at the village and on the boulders, just like you. La Sportiva: Caroline Ciavaldini (FR), James Pearson (GBR), Jana Švecová (CZE), Mélissa Le Nevé (FRA), Domen Škofic (SLO), Fabian Buhl (GER), Laura Pineau (FRA), Silvio Reffo (ITA), Roger Schäli (CHA), Michelle Kao Voss (USA), Davide Bassotto (ITA), Michele Caminati (IT) Arsène Duval (FRA), Marco Sappa (ITA), Giulia Venturelli (ITA), Freja Shannon (IRL/SWE), Elias Iagnemma (IT), Jacopo Larcher (ITA), Federica Papetti (ITA), Barbara Zangerl (AUT). E9: Charles Albert (FRA). Lyofood: Nicolas Fravresse (BEL) e Sean Villanueva (BEL). C.A.M.P. Stefano Carnati (ITA). Brazz: Arthur Tenant (FR), Stefan Scarperi (ITA), Giulia Medici (ITA), Davide Zane (ITA), Salomè Romain (FRA), Cody Roth (US), Yannis Gautier (FRA).

THE MELLOBLOCCO VILLAGE
In the center of San Martino, a few steps from the mural of the Gigiàt — who, just as a reminder, is “kind to those who respect nature” — you’ll find the Village, open to everyone every day.

Here you’ll find the Melloblocco booth for check in/registration and information, the food area, and the partners welcoming visitors with new products, games, and activities.

The big tent covers all the stands, making it pleasant to stroll around, browse, and chat. Who’s at the Village? La Sportiva (Title Sponsor), Decathlon (Main Sponsor), E9 and Brazz (VIP Sponsors), C.A.M.P., Versante Sud, for Outdoor People, Lyofood (Premium Sponsors), and other interesting brands of technical clothing, brushes, chalk, bags and backpacks, services, and accessories.

THE PROGRAM: WORKSHOPS, TALKS, DOCUFILMS, MUSIC
The program — both inside and outside the Village — is truly rich and varied: resoling workshops, physiotherapy workshops, yoga classes, and a DJ set every evening to say goodnight. Two fixed points: every day, bouldering time is from 10:00 to 18:00 (also for self certification on the “prize boulders”), and the awards ceremony is on Saturday the 9th at 19:00 on stage.

Below is a selection mixing activities organized by Melloblocco and by sponsors. The full program, with dates and times, is on melloblocco.it(program/

WEDNESDAY 6
MelloLab is a climbing play activity for younger participants with the Alpine Guides (ages 11–14 from 14:30–16:30; ages 6–10 from 16:30–18:30). Registration: info@melloblocco.it
La Sportiva Madness Café — held every day at 18:00 — is a space for meeting, dialogue, and exchange with Team athletes; La Sportiva announces the daily guests.
Melloblocco Music Fringe is new. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 19:30 to 20:30, the stage is yours: sing, play, perform…

THURSDAY 7
She Rocks by La Sportiva, a women’s workshop guided by Caroline Ciavaldini, Jana Svecova, Laura Pineau, Giulia Venturelli, and Michelle Kao Voss. The session (10:00–13:30) includes 2 hours of practice on the boulders and 1 hour of group discussion on a topic chosen by the participants. Registration: La Sportiva stand.
Slackline Workshop by Brazz (14:00–16:00) with Davide Spaccasassi and Giuseppe Di Bella, who on Friday present (20:45) their latest achievement: the new Italian highline record, “2k over Castelluccio di Norcia”.
“Cleaning the Boulders” by and with Emanuele Ticozzi, a docufilm about Lele’s ongoing exploration of Val Masino’s boulders and the cleaning of new and old lines — about a hundred in just a few years.

FRIDAY 8
Once upon a time in Mello by La Sportiva (10:00–13:30) with Silvio Reffo, Marco Sappa, Jacopo Larcher, Barbara Zangerl, and locals, telling stories and anecdotes of selected boulders, right there on the spot. Registration: La Sportiva stand.
Interreg APICI Project Presentation (16:30, stage), aimed at creating an international Climbing Hub between Val Masino and Val Bregaglia.
Talk by Laura Pineau (21:15, stage) with the screening of “The Queen Swing", the film about the first female ascent of the Triple Crown (El Capitan, Half Dome, Mount Watkins) in 24 hours by Pineau and Kate Kelleghan.

SATURDAY 9
Tick Marks by La Sportiva (10:00–13:30), a moment of reflection — with practical cleaning included — on the theme of respect: for a place, a path, a boulder, another person. With James Pearson, Domen Skofic, Melissa Le Nevé, and Davide Bassotto, accompanied by Matteo De Zaiacomo, head route setter of Melloblocco 2026.
Talk by Elias Iagnemma (21:00, stage) with the screening of “Exodia”, telling the story of his ascent of the namesake boulder, the world’s first 9A+.
Talk by Nicolas Favresse and Sean Villanueva (22:00, stage) with screening and live music.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Melloblocco — committed to respecting and protecting the natural environment—invites you to reach Val Masino using public transport: the A20 Morbegno–Ardenno–Val Masino bus line has extra runs in the morning and afternoon. There is also a WhatsApp group for car sharing, for those offering or looking for a ride.

Partner Brazz offers a crash pad rental service, bookable online or on site at the Village.

The Melloblocco campsite (San Martino sports field) is set up this year in collaboration with Decathlon, which provides tents (2 or 4 person). You should bring your sleeping bag. Booking email: camping@melloblocco.it
All useful information is available on melloblocco.it

Media Partners of Melloblocco 2026 include Planet Mountain, Montagna TV, Desnivel, Lacrux, Gory, Epic TV, Vertical‑Life, UP Climbing, Climbing Radio, Fanatic Climbing, eMontana, Wogu.

Melloblocco is organized by the Consorzio Turistico Porte di Valtellina with the contribution and collaboration of the Municipality of Val Masino and APICI International Climbing Park, with support from Regione Lombardia, Provincia di Sondrio, BIM Adda, Comunità Montana Valtellina di Morbegno, and the Municipality of Morbegno, in collaboration with long‑time promoters Michele Comi, Nicola Noè and Stefano Scetti, and with the support of the Val Masino Operators Association and the Val Masino Climbing Association.

MELLOBLOCCO IN BRIEF
Melloblocco is an international bouldering gathering that welcomes thousands of climbers from around the world every year in Val Masino, a Rhaetian valley in lower Valtellina. The Valley — an extraordinary natural environment — is known for the quality of its granite, which shapes both the valley floor boulders and the great peaks, such as Pizzo Badile (3,308 m). The gathering has always been non competitive and should be experienced with curiosity and a relaxed spirit. Across 18 editions, more than 33,000 participants from 80 nations have registered. The long list includes names like Garnbret, Ondra, and Sharma.