355 News found

Robert Jasper from Germany and Roger Schäli from Switzerland have made the first free ascent of the famous "Japanese Diretissima" on the North Face of Eiger. The route now goes free at 8a and is a very serious alpine undertaking indeed.

On 24/08/2009 Maurizio Manolo Zanolla made the first ascent of "Eternit", the extension to "O ce l’hai… o ne hai bisogno" at Baule. The grade put forward is 9a but above all Manolo believes this route has taken his vertical slab climbing into a completely new dimension.

The XVII Mezzalama Trophy took place on Monte Rosa on 02/05/2009. The legendary ski mountaineering competition was won by Manfred Reichegger, Matteo Eydallin and Denis Trento in a record breaking 4:01'22. The women's event was won by Francesca Martinelli, Roberta Pedranzini, Laetitia Roux in 4:43'31".

The sixth Melloblocco 2009, the world's most important bouldering meeting, broke all records from 07 - 10 May 2009. At least 2500-3000 climbers gathered in Val Masino and Val di Mello and more than 6000 people visited the valley for this happening which embodies the joy of bouldering.

On 13 and 14 March Luca Vuerich and Massimo Laurencig carried out the first winter ascent of the difficult Fessura Lomasti (400m, VI, pass. di VIII-) on the pre-summit of Cima Grande della Scala (Val Riofreddo, Julian Alps, Italy).

Interview with Paolo Rabbia who from 29/12/2008 to 28/02/2009 carried out the first ski mountaineering traverse of the Alps in winter without the help of mechanical transport.

On 16/01/2009 Fabio Salini and Manuel Panizza carried out the first ascent of Mello's Moon (180m, III-5+), a rare ice formation in Val di Mello, Val Masino.

Last weekend Gabriele Moroni visited the historic Lumignano Classica in N. Italy and returned home with a climbing sweep-stake: flash ascents of Boomerang 8a+ and Atomic Café 8a, and a fantastic 2nd go ascent of Mare Allucinante 8b+.

On 2 December the Italians Matteo Bernasconi and Fabio Salini carried out a fast ascent of the Via dei Ragni on the West Face of Cerro Torre, Patagonia. This route was also climbed the previous day by Rolando Garibotti and Co.

Interview with German climber Alexander Huber, one of the world's most important sport climbers and mountaineers.

American climber Kevin Jorgeson has made the first ever ground up ascent of an E9 gritstone climb, Parthian Shot E9 6c, Burbage, England.

From 21 September to 9 October an Italian team led by of Mauro Florit visited Morocco's Taghia, where they carried out the first ascent of "Mai molar berbère" on the SE Face of Tagoujimt n'Tsouiannt (TD+, 500 metri, max 6+).

With Moon Hill, The White Mountain and 30 other crags, Yangshuo is one of the most important and interesting areas for rock climbing in China.

A German expedition including Robert Japser and Stefan Glowacz has carried out the first ascent of "Take the long way home" (700m, 21 pitches, A4 10-) on Baffin Island, Canada.

At the start of May Barbara Zangerl sent Pura Vida, the boulder problem located in Switzerland's Magic Wood graded Fb8a+/8b.

At the start of May Barbara Zangerl sent Pura Vida, the boulder problem located in Switzerland's Magic Wood graded Fb8a+/8b.