Voyager, Peak District (UK)

More than 5 years have passed since my first visit to UK. That time, together with Marco, Gabri and Miki we had the pleasure to take part at the CWIF, one of the biggest and best organized competition ever. We were nothing else but a bunch of students, like a drunk of a typical pub had enjoyed to name us. After that good competition at the works, the major climbing center of Sheffield, we spent  a lovely week  on the Peak District’s hills, bouldering on the Gritstone. That was amazing; I will never forget that nice vacation which was actually my longest trip to the date.

Bouldering in the Peak was awesome for my tastes and I wished to come back as soon as possible. What I really enjoyed was  the Gritstone itself, which makes unique shapes and offers a special climbing like the one I usually look for. The gesture is in fact really balanced, you have to dose enough strength and use a good technical approach. I immediately got the deal that you cannot climb so much without using both of these skills. Slopy arêtes, slopy crimps, vertical climbing, pebbles, smears are the major things which features the movements.  These blocs are located in a stunning scenario too; Grey rocks, green meadows, scattered woodlands and beautiful hills. You might wonder if there are any other better place than this; Unfortunately the dark side of the area is the bizarre weather, which is really unpredictable and it changes in a blink of an eye. So you could have a decent week or  remain stuck in the gyms for many days in a row.

Time passed by since that great holiday and I tried every season to plan a weekly trip, but nothing happened. In 2010 and 2011 I got back for a couple of summer days, both occasions were due to a world cup competition.  Actually I didn't look forward  to move to the rocks so much, but however I couldn’t for the terrible heat. England seemed to be set aside of the list, until the last summer when, discussing with Giulia, we were both keen to spend a good time there. For her it would have been the first time, for me the glory moment  to attempt Voyager again.  

Voyager is one of the best problem in all the UK, established by the English legend Ben Moon in 2005. One year later his achievement, he also established the sit, which is currently the hardest thing in the Peak. At least this is what I have heard. The intensive and lasting desire to come back to Voyager was due to a specific reason. In 2010 I missed this problem at the very top, and I had to leave it without the closing send. Back in the days, it would have been a great triumph for my climbing, but not always you managed to roll the things as you would like to. Obviously, Voyager was at the top of my list this time and after a full month of training we only had to fly and keep our finger crossed for the uncertain weather. I have always thought that if you feel good, ready and in a good shape before a performance, you have already made half way to reach your goal. Before sitting in front of the problem, I knew that a lot of work had been done the month before and the hardest part was to execute the problem. It hence was much more a mental effort  than a physical one.

The first day of the trip was damp, wet and foggy, so we waited for one more day. I felt impatient, but on the other side the Sheffield’s atmosphere was really pleasant. The day came, it was cold dry and perfect. I saw Voyager again after many long days of waiting and my eyes started to brighten. I tried to keep my enthusiasm really low. I need to be focused, I felt I didn’t have many good shots to use my good shape. On the first go I fall very high, like in the past. Few minutes later I stood at the top. Obviously, I wanted to try the sit too. I felt happy half and half. Voyager sit, rated fb 8B+, was still waiting for its first repetitions after almost  9 years. This was obviously my goal which I have always kept a bit hidden until the ascent of the stand. I rested and I took a while to realize how many days I waited for. After a bit of relax, I began to work the first part, that counts 5 moves more using the beta I figured out. Beta was clear, so I opted to rest for a second time, trying to make a first go from the bottom. The sun came out, it was warmer but still nice  to attempt. I sat on the pads and I started to climb searching for the flow. I moved to the stand part really well, then I lost a bit this flow in the central section. I reached the crux, where my mind ordered to come back into the good focus. I did it and I kept my body on. I knew only three moves were missing, two of them pretty okay. I fast got to the last, where I missed the stand version in 2010. In less than a second I managed to realize I was on the last move, on my first and probably last go (since it is really sharp) and I was in the same situation of 5 years ago. I was tired and just my mind could have made a difference. It luckily drove my hand to the last decent hold, I brought my feet back on the wall and I only had to move to the jugs. I reached the top, I felt amazing. I looked at my tips, one of them was bleeding. It was really the first and the only possible shot. The loop came to an end and my story with Voyager too.

The day later the temperatures increased a little bit and it was actually the last sunny day of the trip. It rained until the last morning, when  it dried up and I could sent “The Storm” 7B+, one of the best essential problem ever. Another piece of the bouldering history. Time flew like usual and it was time to leave.  I really  want to say a big thanks to Giulia; without her this trip and,  voyager in particular,  would have not been possible on  my own. Hope to come back soon in this country and enjoy the many things we couldn’t visit because of the weather.

Here you can find some pictures of me and Giulia climbing on the Gritstone and at the legendary School Room. 

Voyager sit, Paek District (UK). Photo Giulia Paoletti

Giuly on Cloe's arete, Peak District (UK).

Giuly on Slopy Pokey, Pick District (UK).

The Storm, Peak District (UK). Photo Giulia Paoletti

Feel the Pinch, School Room (Sheffiled). Photo Giulia Paoletti

Feel The Pinch, School Room (Sheffiled). Photo Giulia Paoletti

The last two months

Here we are with my first blog spot of the year 2015. The period riding December and January has been quite busy and many days were spent inside for training and preparation. Like usual, training has a double face; a bad one and a good one. Once I got the training mood, I always know that I sit the rock climbing out for a while. This is a negative part and sometimes it is even dangerous as you lose the rock feelings and technique. The positive side is that once I got into this process I am just damn focused on training and nothing else; I like this thing and I love to do it despite sometimes rock climbing misses a bit. During 2014 I basically had only 3 weeks of training during all the year, then I got injured and I had 3 more weeks in autumn where I made a kind of soft/keeping training just to recover well and prepare my wrist for hard climbing and for the though moments would come next. Late in autumn, I felt it was time to start again and I opted to buy an online training program from two well known trainers of Teamof2. The program provided 10 weeks of daily schedules. Since the Christmas holidays were in the middle of the deal, I split it in 3 different sections: 3 weeks of hard training, two weeks and a half of rock climbing/rest/soft training and 3 more weeks of full training again; all this package would have made a flew from December to the beginning of February. I was excited.

At the first look, the program seemed to be interesting and mostly new for me. In fact, it was. Many workouts that I wasn't used before had been added. While the schedules I already did before underwent modifies using other systems or other recovering time. It has been curious and newsworthy to follow a program set by every day of to-do's. Before this, I just planned what I should have done in the whole week, giving no matters to the order of sessions or the days when I had to push hard or not. Moreover it is the first time that I followed a program made by someone else and not planned with a self-setting. New stuff like I said, new ways and new workouts. For example I had Cardio sessions where I was completely green, TRX workouts for the core and the shoulders and other cool exercises. Since I do only bouldering I often underestimated the Cardio aspect and its importance and aftermaths. I knew I was bad and it deals of one of my biggest lack, but I didn't think that it could be so useful for bouldering. Definitively it will be a part of my future training.

The graphic of my shape made a lot of ups and downs during the period. At the beginning I felt gorgeous. Between the first and the second week I had a really high peak, I managed to do my first 1-5-9 ever on the personal PG, I could try V14 in the wall and I sent different hard problems in the gym. Then I started to be tired, weak and a bit sick from training. The last few days of the third week I had a big cliff, my muscles hurt but I was mentally serene, since the drops are obviously normal. I went to Ticino for few days; I rested, I climbed a bit and I enjoyed the fresh winter air. I felt pleasure, joy and I got relaxed in being out instead of close into a stinky and dirty pigeon house or into a fitness gym where I could read the sameness of the usual customers riding on a static bike. They seemed stupid and I also was. One day I felt bored and faint, while the day after I ticked "ninja skills" off. This is to say how the ups and downs can change and the shape can evolve, dropping or rising. I came back home and I came up again few days during the holidays. I tried hard on "big kat" and I finished this line after 4 days of war. I tried "the story of two worlds" and I felt everything was going down again. That day I perceived a intensive dose of tiredness which followed me for days. I reached the lowest point during the middle of Jan, where I sensed fatigue and I had to fight to make 1-5 on the rungs of my PG. My shoulders didn't answer, my body was off and what I had was only a bit of finger strength that allowed me to go on. Sometimes I skipped the daily workout; I felt insane trying something when your body or your instinct don't feel good and positive. On the last week I came up again. The skin raised up, the shoulders seemed to be better and day after day I added a piece of mine to the full package. The core strength missed again, and it is missing right now as well. The motivation came and the line of my imaginary graphic probably is reaching the medium values. Now I finished, I felt I need rest and recovering days, I need to find a way to link all the skills together and make one unique well-working piece. The time will say if it has been worthy and useful for myself, or just a kind of "keeping" training and the hard times was vain. I am confident, we will see.

Ninja Skills 8B+, Sobrio (CH). Photo Stefan Kuerzi

4th day on the line. Finally sent "Big kat" 8b+ this morning, in Chironico. It could probably be my hardest climbing so far. The mental setting it required me is pretty high and this is not only due to the physical first part but to the mantle which I felt extreme coming from the bottom. Well done @jwebxl for the FA. @salewa @lasportivagram #chironico #switzerland #ticino #bouldering #rockclimbing

A photo posted by Niccolò Ceria (@nk_ceria) on Jan 6, 2015 at 8:10am PST

The last week of training is over. Thanks to @teamof2training for the support and for the great workouts you suggested me. @salewa @lasportivagram #climbinggym #dyno

A video posted by Niccolò Ceria (@nk_ceria) on Feb 2, 2015 at 4:41am PST

Almost at the end of the second week of the training program. 2014 has been pretty poor under the training aspect and I had just few weeks of this during the spring. Now that my wrist seems to be totally recovered, I opted to start an online program together with @teamof2training I am really psyched to try all the things where I am weak like cardio and core workouts.

A photo posted by Niccolò Ceria (@nk_ceria) on Dec 12, 2014 at 11:47am PST

September 2014 - New projects

The last months has been pretty busy under different aspects and my mind has been invaded by a big wave of projects. The wrist had a positive trend for all the month, but the tendons and ligaments are still weak. I felt they are not ready for a hard training period, but at least they don't give me troubles when I climb on the rock. As I mentioned the month has been various, rich and a bit confused too. First of all I had a wide list of boulders I would have liked to brush. At the moment, I am feeling quite excited about going to search awesome lines around and the discovering side of climbing is providing me always bigger and bigger satisfactions. The top boulders I wanted to brushed are all situated in the north west of Italy; few of them are in Valle dell'Orco, others in Valle d'Aosta, and a couple of cool projects are even present in a valley close to my home. During this period I was able to brush just four of the many projects and three of them required me one day and a half only for cleaning up the holds and making a safe landing.

One of them is up to Champorcher, an area whose potential is probably getting to an end. This was maybe the last thing I was interested in developing here. Since the beginning, It looked to be a really weird line: you have to climb a little easy stone and then grab the starting holds in the roof above your head. From there the climb begins in an imposing overhang and it gets out in a slightly overhanging wall with compression moves and heel hooks. The hardest part was the first section on the roof, where everything seems to be tricky and pretty physical. During the second day of attempts, I tried this problem together with Max. He got a really smart heel hook beta which looked to be the best; but unfortunately neither of us was able to link the moves with what it seemed to be the most obvious way. I opted to work another system, based on body tension and specific points where to grab the holds. After many attempts where I was getting closer and closer I finally got the big triangle pinch at the end of the roof and I linked the first part to the easier finish, putting up the first ascent.

Rust in Peace V11/12, FA. Champorcher. Photo Max Buvoli

Rust in Peace V11/12, FA. Champorcher. Photo Giulia Paoletti

The other two main projects I was interested in, were the big diamond I discovered in Noasca and a great river stone in a valley close to my home. The first one is huge; It is an impressive granite diamond with some slopy rails and a long climbing to reach the top. Once the day of brushing was over, I decided to come back with Ricky who helped me a lot to make a good landing. Meanwhile, the dirty residual of the brushing was drying up and the grip started to be better than the first time I touched the holds. The first intro part is pretty easy and the taller you are the easier it becomes. Instead the upper part results really strange with a big dynamic move to the lip. It is definitively a wonderful move, where from two slopy pinches and a really high left foot you should grab the final lip and you'll probably remain with only one hand hung. Considering the height of the boulder, I tried that move with the rope only. After this, I decided to postpone the attempts when the temperatures will be colder and the grip on the holds will be much better.

The diamond. Valle dell'Orco

The third one is probably the project I am most inspired for. It is 40 minutes up to my home and the feeling to have a project so close is an unique sensation, since it is never happened to me. I can get up in the morning and I can basically see the valley where the proj is. This thing makes the question sweet. I brushed the line on this big egg  last spring and I got a quick session in April without any good successes, despite my best shape ever. I love this project for two main factors; the first reason, as I said, is to have something so cool and so close to home; while the second one is due to the beauty of the line and the good rock it has, especially in the second part. For September, it was at the top of to-do list but I have been a bit unlucky with this problem.

The first time on it,  I brushed all the last slab again, since it became dirty during the heat of the summer and just before the dark I tried a bit the upper moves with the rope. After few tries it became too dark and I quitted.

2nd day on. The first part was damp so I could just attempt the second easier section. After having put the chalk  and tried the moves, the rain came and I had to leave once again.

3rd day on. The sky looked to be clear. I put the chalk on the exit again and I dried up the third hold which makes the crux part. I finally could try it seriously. Thanks to Ricky who helped me a lot in trying the moves with big push ups, I could understand the right sequence. The sessions got over positive. The crux move was still missing, but I did it with 4-5 kilos of push-up. The other move that missed was the 5th, but for this one I had positive sensations because it looked easier, I had just to try it more.

4th day on. I went up alone just to dry up the crux hold and to be sure for the day after (it usually remains wet for few days). Surprisingly it dried up faster than what I expected and I decided to try it a bit. I was alone with three smashed pads, but it was enough to try the bottom. I couldn't expect what it happened; I grabbed the damned holds and I failed on the move after. I opted to quit and to rest for the day after. I started to know that I was close and that probably the crux move would have been the 4th, since the 3rd one looked to be hard but in the end it is totally position depending. Once you get the right body position, you can do it.

5th day on. I went up with Ricky again. The friction looked even better, but in the end it was the same or even worse than the day before. I was anyway motivated and focused on the proj. I felt some possibilities to finish the rig the same day.  I put the chalk on the exit for the nth time and I repeated the final moves over and over. I knew them perfectly. I rested until the evening, when the "colder" temps came and the skin got harder. I made good tries. I managed to grab the third hold again, but I failed on the 4th moves. I tried that part with the push up and I did it. I felt I was going closer and closer. On the other side, I also felt my skin sweating a lot, so I rested for ten minutes or so. I finally perceived my hands a bit colder and I decided to go. I took the third hold perfectly and I did the hardest move after. I linked this one to the 5th and I grabbed the jug with a bit of fatigue and a strong shout. A shout which meant effort, but even a shout of possibility to complete the whole line. I was out of the hardest part. I got into the central sequence, where the overhang becomes a wall with wonderful pinches. I did it and I got the good pinch-jug; I was tired. From there the wall become a slab and there is a possible rest. From that point to the top is something like 6b composed by a little mantle into the slab and the slab itself. I rested and my hands were damp, cold and totally pink. I thought about the chalk, but I hadn't the bag with me. I tried to dry up the fingers on my pants, and they started to be numb. I put the hands close to my neck to warm them up and the feelings started to be slightly better, but not enough. There were two possibilities: to go on in the slab, or dropping off and trying it again hoping to get into the upper part in better conditions. The last option seemed to be far from my possibilities, because I felt tired. By knowing what there was between me and the top I decided to attempt; the boulder was done and I just had to do the last easy part. I breathed and I went. I started and once my body was totally on the slab and my feet still under in the wall, my right foot slipped and I fall down. I got scarred and I totally missed the pads, falling on a bunch of stones. Fortunately my heel hit a flat stone and I got just a really hard hit. It was done, but not at all. I have to come back to finish this beautiful problem but for the moment I have to recover a bit the foot and to get back in a good mentality for this gem.

Beyond these great projects, In my mind there is also another 5 starts arete to get free; A line I brushed last march in Donnas (Valle d'Aosta) which is incredible. A perfect vertical arete which is probably the biggest project of the year. For the moment the temperatures are still too high and I have to wait for a while; but once the temperatures will drop and the heel will be ready, this project will probably be at the top of the list.

The crux move of the project. Valle Cervo. Photo Ricky totò Monetta 

The arete project. Valle d'Aosta.

Beyond exploring new boulders in the north west of Italy, two weeks ago I began training again. I started a short program which includes some sessions using different systems of training and the goals are to equal the right side of my body to the left one, since the right arm is really weak. Secondly, I decided to include different sessions in order to get the confidence back on the systems I usually use for training. I set 2 sessions in the climbing gym, 3 of core works, 5 of stretching for the flexibility, 2 of campus training (fingerboard and PG), 2 sessions with overweight and 2 sessions of rock bouldering in the projects I mentioned before. But in the second week, since my heel was painful after the fall, I needed to stop and I could just climbing outdoor. I went a couple of days in Averstal with Rudy.  I was also excited to work some boulders, leaving the tall projects aside for a while and feeling again the peculiar sensations of the place. Unfortunately, none of us completed the own goals; no achievement for both after the weekend. He went really close to grab the ascent on "Morgenlatte" 7B and he made huge progresses on "Man of a cow" 7B+; Instead, I worked one day on "Ill trill", making every moves except the exit and I missed the ascent on the top out of "Muttertag". We are both motivated to come back soon, trying to complete something before the snow comes.

40 days

By checking the second-last blog spot I wrote, I can realize that something went wrong respect my thoughts. In fact, the title of it said "little injury" and it should have suggested what I supposed to have in my wrist. Seventy more days are passed from that post, and four full months are spent from the beginning of the issue. Nowadays I started to set aside the term "little", using maybe a more serious adjective. The clearness of the problem came out with a MRI, at the end of July: Lesion of ligament, lesion of the triangular cartilage and inflammation around the capsule. The suggestion has been clear like painful: a minimum of forty days of rest without any kind of climbing or training. During these days, it has been quite hard to keep the motivation high and to try to lose as less as possible from the physical and the mental shape. I opted to dedicate more time to some aspects I usually don't look after like body tension exercises, stretching and one arm fingerboard with the left hand. Fortunately, bouldering is not only composed by body tension and one arm hangs, but by infinite things and by a specific way to link all of them in a unique system. In this way, unfortunately to me, I could just keep good a very small package of skills. For this reason, I was doubtful that the few qualities I trained could be helpful once I re-started climbing, since the other parts of the system would have been weak.

Last Monday (two day after the ending of the resting period) I got the first pull-ups and the day after I went out to check how my wrist would have answered to some efforts. I was quite tense and pretty negative. Fortunately the first feelings were pretty good and the first day was completed. Results: no pain in the wrist (even in some crucial position of the hand), troubles in the capsule of the medium finger, absence of any kind of climbing coordination, worst skin ever and wearying in my right arm. Now; I guess that the last three things could be pretty normal after a month and a half without rock, but the second gave me some care while the first one let me to keep on hoping. On Wednesday the right arm was really painful, probably due to the day I had; while the wrist presented some acute pain to the higher part. The day after, this problem looked to be over and I opted to a fast evening session on the rock. I decided to go to a really known area, just to try to repeat some known problems until V8. The second day went better than the first; the wrist seemed to be pretty good, the finger capsule slightly better as well as the pain in my right arm. Yesterday was the third day of climbing and the feelings went even better: I could climb different styles of problems, put up new easy and cool lines and enjoy a great day with Marco in Champorcher.

Finally after forty days I can have some positive feelings, keeping the motivation and the love for climbing as high as always and dreaming about my future. The thoughts in this long period have been pretty various; I think it could be hard for everyone to stop what you love and many people can understand. Sometimes you realize how hard it is, other times you try to think not and to be positive, thinking about the best things you did in the last months. Now the situation is still really delicate. My next goal is to manage the next week climbing and texting again the trend of the pain. Subsequently I will maybe try to make a little program of recovery and come back as soon as possible, but giving the highest priority to the feeling of the body.

New problem in Champorcher. Photo Marco Pelle

Training and some new photos

Hi everybody,

From the beginning of the month, training mode was on and the first sessions were quite hard and tiring. I previously set a program of three weeks, that was followed and completed for the most part of its period, by using fingerboard, pan gullich and climbing. Every week included two sessions of fingerboard, where I did double hands pull ups with overweight for half an hour/ one hour;  a single session of pan gullich, composed by seven different kind of exercises; three climbing days on the rock, which were replaced with gym climbing or PG during eventual rainy days; three hours of stretching  and two or three sessions of abdominals. Since it was almost 2 months that I hadn't trained constantly, The first two days were tiring and I tried to go on as secure as I can in order to avoid few eventual fingers injures. After ten days, my shape started magically to increase a bit, but it came back lower at the end of the program when I also got a bit of backache. This problem was probably due to the over weights I used and I should have had to pull up less kilos. 

Beyond this little drawback, the tiny wave of normal shape allowed me to send two good FA's in my "home area" named Champorcher, which has been a big source of good new problems for all the summer. The first one is  called "Zarmina", a stunning slopy holds sequence I brushed in August. The second line deals of "La V" project, which I tried for 6 full sessions failing over and over in the middle. It is absolutely weird and tricky, it has toe hooks before hands, heel hooks, dolphin mantle and it counts 11 movements despite its littleness. It was really funny being able to open it, because it required me a peculiar beta and some intensive work sessions to win its strangeness. The hardest single was not so severe if you reckon it as an individual move, but from the bottom it changed a lot and my hands had to be in perfect position to do it. The final solution came out discovering a blind foot hold which allowed me to stick the crux pinch and to reach the top. 2013 season offers us a bunch of good problems, especially in may, when the condition were prime and I could set new lines tried the year before. 

This blog spot is basically dedicated to share few photos about them, kindly taken by Gianluca Bosetti who was there for holiday. The little Portfolio includes "the ghost ship" a possible 8B+ to confirm, "paperella" 7C (2011), "Murano" 8B and "orange madness" 8A.

Enjoy it

The Ghost Ship 8B+ FA, Champorcher. Photo Gianluca Bosetti

The Ghost Ship 8B+ FA, Champorcher. Photo Gianluca Bosetti

Paperella 7C FA, Champorcher. Photo Gianluca Bosetti

 

Murano 8B FA, Champorcher. Photo Gianluca Bosetti

Murano 8B FA, Champorcher. Photo Gianluca Bosetti

Orange Madness 8A FA, Champorcher. Photo Gianluca Bosetti

Orange Madness 8A FA, Champorcher. Photo Gianluca Bosetti

Orange Madness 8A FA, Champorcher. Photo Gianluca Bosetti

Last month

Here we go! Only few days miss for the second trip of 2013 and South Africa come closer and closer. I desired Rockland for long time, but during the last years my motivation started to go down. Too many climbers went there in last three years and it seems to be like a summer trend going to the south. Except this fact, I am sure about the beauty of the place, with pieces of orange sandstone scattered in every angle. Last winter Nils invite me to join with them in this experience and I decided to seize the opportunity to visit the famous paradise many climbers tell about. I have to admit my motivation before Sweden was still higher, because Scandinavia lands always inspired me a lot. Despite this, I am obviously Syked to check a place completely different under the environmental aspect, I guess everything will be barer and the colors of nature will be the opposite of the Swedish ones. Even if it is different, I think it is an awesome place with a great and spectacular natural contest.

Beside Rocklands desires, this last month was dedicated to training, looking for get a decent shape before leaving. The newest thing in my program was the hang exercises of Chris Webb Parson, which would have had to last 12 weeks but I had to modify it in a 10 weeks program for questions of time. This kind of sessions were pretty useful for me, and it seems they can work well. I feel like it is giving to me a little finger strength improvement which I have always needed . In addiction of these hangs, I also did few Pan Gullich sessions with new exercises like some crossing moves, and some abdominal working, which make body tension a bit stronger. During these two months of preparation (may + June) every week was accompanied with two or three hours of stretching and some climbing on the rock; or in the gym when the weather was negative. In the gym I tried to do three session of endurance-strength with boulders 16-18 moves long, meanwhile in June I returned to try normal boulders with few movements and some different features to try different kind of skills. 

In June I also climbed on the rock, not so frequently, but I had some session in Champorcher and Barbara refuge. The developing of new lines in Champorcher goes on and a bunch of problems was born in last month. The first one was "Murano", a line I checked the second time I was there in 2011. It deals of a small cave, brushed by Mazrio Nardi who also made a really good base on the ground in order to try it in a safety way. Last years I was syked to try this powerfull crimpy overhang, but my ascent seemed really hard since the first move is a big dynamic to a glassed crooked crimp which I never did, despite numerous work session. Fortunately the foot hold is large and I knew it would be possible one day in the future. After the ghost ship days my shape was still good and I decided to try again the sick cave. On May 31th Rudy and I reached the spot after the usual halt to buy a fresh sandwich. The temperature was fine, in fact I needed my jacket and in this natural hole I was freezing. Surprisingly after some attempts I grabbed the crimp and I keep a good position to continue this short sequence. It has three moves and I failed on the last one which is a long span to the final jug. I rested and I did it. I was happy, because it was a test of my shape about crimpy strength since last year I wasn't able of doing this first movement. Moreover a new line was there to be repeated. The name chosen is "Murano" due to the kind of rock that looks like glass and the crimp is a bit smooth. 

Last Monday, Rudy got a day off and we decided to climb again there with Marco. On the weather web site, it was forecasted a light rain in the afternoon, but it was wrong and the sunny day allowed us climbing until 6 o'clock in the evening. They decided to change our Champorcher routine, buying a sandwich near home, where the shopkeeper contained us asking about climbing. We arrived in Champorcher and the warming up took place on a boulder marked with "13" sign which is really fun to get an ideal body temperature. It has eight logical lines, but we often invent new sequences to have fun, since the holds have a good quality of rock. After climbing a bunch of lines and after having seen the normal crimpy snaps of Rudy, we moved toward "la V". It deals of a line around 7A, with strange mantle which my mates never tried. Marco did it after a couple of goes instead of Rudy who had hard times to feel the slopy lip. During his attempts I tried to figure out a lower part which seemed to offer good pinches. The squat start was already done years ago, but the ascent used another boulder for the foot which makes it really horrific. After two hours I found a good beta to avoid this bad way, so the lower climbing is possible without any other stone. I hope to come back before Rocklands to try it again. 

In the afternoon Rudy discovered a new cave. He called us shouting, so me and Marco ran to check it. It was really nice, orange rock and high quality grain. Motivated by this, we took the pad and we started to try this sick line. After some tries I climbed it from the bottom using some tricky to stay on this slopy sequence. For sure it will be present on the video I hope to edit in September/October. We are all happy about this day, because another new line was born and we called it "orange madness", probably around 7C+/8A. Moreover, In the evening other two new problems were born in a boulder discovered by Max days ago. A wall with black and white stripes which had three possible lines. The straight line, called "yellow fever" has a really strange dynamic and it could be around 7C I suppose. The second one, is a traverse that join into this problems, which doesn't add difficulty but fun moves on serpentine.

It is really nice for me seeing a boulder area in its developing and this fact is motivating because every new line can offer something special that didn't exist before. I will come back in Champorcher on this Saturday for trying the V project and then it will be time to leave. I feel in a pretty good shape, probably I trained a lot some finger skills but at the same time I haven't done enough in climbing gym. This fact probably has worsen other skills like some climbing dynamic movements or muscle tone question that climbing gym training can usually offer. For sure I will not focus only on the hardest boulders, But I would like to climb what inspires me more. I am syked to see this new place for my eyes; beyond climbing stuff I hope to love this place I have always imaged and to feel me in a paradise as some climbers tell.

Murano, Champorcher FA. Photo: Rudy Ceria

King of Pratacco, Champorcher FA (2011). Photo: Giulia Paoletti

Champorcher

Training for summer

The first three months of this year have been set for training to get in a fine shape before my ten days in Sweden. The period of training worked well and in the middle of march I felt stronger than Dicember or January. I started to get in shape in the period of Gandalf il grigio and this feeling accompained me until the end of april. In Sweden, and during the few weeks later too, I felt good and agile as I wanted, in fact I was really glad for having climbed high quality stuff since this was my goal.

After april the 6^th I decided to take a month of rest or just climbing outdoor when it was possible. Rarely I had some fingerboard hangs.

The weather in the last weeks wasn’t so good. The first touch of spring seemed more like summer, in fact the medium season area in Aosta Valley were too hot, while the summer spots were still covered of snow.

I went once in Gaby with Rudy where we finished to brush a river arete.

I climbed it from the sit and he was close in the stand version. From the stand it has two moves on slopers which could be equal to 7A I though, while the sit adds two harder singles, really fun to do. The line remains on river sector, on the left of “Big Courier”.

Another time I was in Brione where Me,Marco and Aly tried to take the last freshness of the winter to grab the lovely Verzasca’s granite. In the morning I managed to do “the guilty of the hilti”, a Gaston line put up by Bernd Zangler. While in the afternoon I did the third ascent of “flash flood” on the river, just on the right of “ fake pamplemouse”. I climbed them both on second go from start, but in the first one I had to fight hard some tries to win the hard gaston move, which makes the hard part of the line. My back was destroyed the day after.

Marco showed me “Ballermaan” too, a stunning line with great rock. It deals of a compression boulder with a jump at the end where it is hard to keep the other hand on the slopy pinch. A really good line, probably one of the best in Brione around these grades, 7B/+.

Beyond these rock sessions, I climbed seldom until this week when I restarted training.

My next adventure will be in Rocklands this summer, from july the 7^th until August the 11^th.

My current aim is to get in a good shape before leaving, although I have just two month.

I have set a period of training where I would like to test some new stuff.

The first new thing in my program is Chris Webb Parsons hang advice, since his videos was on the web some weeks ago and it seemed really fun and useful. I think it could be worthy to try.

The second thing deals new exercises on PG, like some crossing moves or some changes on the previous exercises. As in the previous program, the first part will be all set in fingerboard, with three sessions per week (2 with hangs and one of Enchores). Over this, I will climb in the gym and on rock when it will be possible. While the second run the fingerboard will be linked on PG sessions. During All two months I also hope to get some rock climbing in Aosta valley and around, to climb new stuff for me and also to check how training works before SouthAfrica.

Flash Flood 8B, Brione. Photo: Alice Gariazzo