Global Warming

The global warming adventure started when I was in Spain and one evening  I spoke with my brother, Luca Bazooka and Gabri about this boulder and each of us was so motivated to try it so we planned a mission to checked the line all togethere.

Global Warming is an outstanding line ,that runs through a roof for 12 movements  with amazing feet works and toe hooks, opened by Niccolò Ceria about one year ago.

We gave the appointment Sunday, January  12  at the cafè in Quincinetto for a coffee so getting ready for the hiking till the first boulders, where my brother and I, warmed up.

Gabri , Bazoo and others friends went to the back side of the area where there are some cool lines to climbed joined us after lunch. In the meantime I climbed an amazing line feature by a small 2 fingers pocket opened by Alberto Gnerro but still unnamed.

After ascended the 7b+ I felt warm and ready to check the roof, so we walked for 10 minutes more, finally reaching this fabulous plateau featured by some other interesting blocks including Global Warming.

Unamed 7b+ Pic Andrea Zanone

I had lunch, resting a bit from the tiring walk, so in the meantime the rest of the crew arrived, we were ready to test it!

Actually this was not my first sesh on the boulder because Andrea and I decided to dust off the block the day before, so we took the opportunity to try some singles moves out of curiosity.

I was really happy about my second session because I was able to configured out all single moves except the hardest one, the swing. I wasn't strong enough to control the swing, dabbing every time the crashpad. Gabri and Andrea were able to do this tension move giving to me the motivation to came back stronger! J

The bad weather came so we had to stop trying this rig for about 2 weeks but I took advantage of this period to train specifically doing weights, abdominal and fingers board. I started to feel better, the weather conditions came back good and we were waiting amazing sunny days to be spent on the proj.

I kept in touch with Bazo and Gabri again planning another session all togethere, in order to try to take this rebus down. Gabri was able to send it in a couple of tries, after having warm up doing the finals movement of the lines. Andrea did it too surprising everyone, because he started climbing without saying anything to anyone, when I turned my head he was about to jump and in a second he was able to stick the swing and complete his first 8b boulder problem.

It was a really good day for Bazo and me as well because we were able to keep the swing and make some good tries from the bottom.

I was closer and closer but at one point I was too tired to have any chance so I decided to postpone to another session before the bad weather hits us again.

This day was yesterday, Tuesday, January 29, that I went to Donnas with my brother Andrea and Valentina with just one mission “try to send the project”. The climbing condition was super, it was really windy and quite cold, so I would have no excuse if I was not able to climb it. At about 1 o’clock we were under the roof so I begins to gain confidence in the most climbable part so much that I could hold the swing again, making me so hopeful.

After few tries from the ground I was able to get the hardest move and in a second I found myself after the mantle. It took a few seconds before I realized that  I did it and then I looked at my hands and I saw that I had a gash on his finger.

Global Warming - Pic Andrea Zanone

I will not believe, the blood was pouring, but everybody know that “NO PAIN, NO GAIN”, so I was really satisfied.
This was one of the greatest experience of my climbing life because try a line with some other strong climbers is sooo much motivating, configure the beta all togethere is amazing, you can feel much stronger than you're and these little things, all together, make the difference! :)

Global Warming 8B from Marco Zanone on Vimeo.



Unamed 7b+ in Donnas (AO) from Marco Zanone on Vimeo.

From Spain with love

View from Siurana

After one month spent on bouldering in Ticino I was ready  for some 
sport climbing in Spain as every year with my family. Down there the crew was so big, so I was able to see again friends I had not seen for a long time and I was able to climb back into this wonderful place too that I dreamed of a year round.

We had a really long  11 hours trip by car from Biella to Cornudella de Montasant that is a little village witch adapted itself for climbing because everything revolves around for climbing, without whom there would be nothing, if not for its wine producing.

The first day checked a new sector called “Siuranella Sud” because there was a really windy day so we saw form the guidebook that  this crag was sheltered from the wind. When we arrived at the sector I realized that this was the best choice because there was few climbers and an amazing limestone wall with blue and red/orange streak was in front of my eyes.

After a quite warm up I chose an 8a+ on a blue streaks that drove me crazy, I did the first go configuring out all single moves with the help of my brother Andrea and Patrick. On my second go I fall as stupid missing a good crimp on the crux but then I climbed it to the top. I was happy anyway about this try because I said that it was possible, but 10 minutes later my friend Patrick broke the only good crimp of the the crux making it impossible or very hard, so the first project was blown away.
When I saw the crimp skip away  I was incredulous because usually the rock quality on blue streaks is really high and really solid, so I could not imagine that such a thing to happen.

Morena del Montsant

The second day we decided to change place after the big fail of the first dayso we went to Margalef's classic cliff called “Racò de l’Espadelles” that it is in the sun all day making it perfect for climbing.

There was such a great bunch of climbers that I warmed up on a 7a+ with the quickdraws put on  because I was too lazy to wait for easier stuff. Then I finished my warm up trying the singles moves of “El Sistema 7c+” that I was able to get on my second attempt.

After that I did not know whether to try my brother’ project or something of easier so after having look out the guidebook I found this cool line situated on my favorite piece of wall of the cliff. The 4 routes here( from 7c+ to 8b) are features from a first bouldery wall that allow to get a good rest and from a second wall that is more technical and where your endurance is really important.

My friends Luca from Tuscany had already get an attempt on it so he explain to me his beta, so with some different feet works I got all singles moves without much effort.  I decided to do a good rest in order to be able to give the 100% on my second try, trying to send my first 8a+ in 2 goes. I did the first boulder really well without getting pumped, I rested a bit and then the fight started until the mantle when the wall became more vertical, where you can say “ I DID IT” even before to clip the chain.

Braguetasso - Margalef Pic © Pierre Zanone

The great journey finished as well at the bar with friends, where we shared the ascents of the day with a fresh Estrella. J

The last day of the year I went with Gabri and Petardo to Can Pigui Pugui in Siurana which is my favorite area here in Siurana, because there is an incredible limestone quality which makes the climbing really technical and crimpy. Instead my brother and my parents went to Espadelles again because Andre was soo close on his project.

My planned here was to try “Mr Cheki 8b+” but after having seen the line I decided to fly down so I tried the variant called “Bou I prou 8b” that starts leftmost then rejoin at the final crux.

After have sent “Anabolica 8a” in 2 tries, I put my quickdraws on the project and I configured out my beta. On my second go I was so close to take this thing down, even a moment I thought “yes, I can do it” because I got the hardest part reaching the jug, where you can shake you forearm a bit and take breathing. Just few moves left me after the 6b slab but one of these moves is so weird and harder if you are tall because from the jug you take a small pocket with the left hand and with a really left foot high you have to get into a small crimp.

Unfortunately I fall off at the very last move, taking the crimp with the right one, because I too was tired or because I was sure to do it, I dunno what to think! 

Gabri was closer than ever on his nemesis “A muerte”, falling to take the jug because he took the left crimp so bad instead Petardo was able to get a really hard 7b+ on the right that looked so cool, seeing Pet climb on it.

After that last climb of the year we went to the Tony’s cafè for some estrellas waiting the others friends from Margalef in order to get warm for the year-end party! J

I leave you to imagine how the night is over…

The rest-day the first day of the year is a must for me because I have to bounce back from the hangover and take rest after 3 days of climbing in a row.

The first climbing day after the party we came back to Can Pigui Pugui because I was sycked to take the project down! Fortunately everything went very well so I crushed it on my 2^nd attempt of the day.

Bou I prou - Siurana Pic © Pierre Zanone

Bou I prou - Siurana Pic © Pierre Zanone

The next days I climbed “a muerte” every day without saving energies so I got these cool lines:

•  3/01 Innuendo 8A flash – Racò de l’espadelles. Thanks to Guido and Gabri for the beta, who made this possible!
•  3/01 Ser purista a me despist 8A - Cingle de les solanes.
• 4/01 Gotim Bru 7B O.S - Balco de l'Ermita.
•  4/01 Mirtoglicerina 7C+ O.S. - Balco de l'Ermita.
•  5/01 Chute emocional 7B+ O.S - Cingle de les solanes.
• 5/01 Malasombra 7C+ flash – Racò de l’espadelles.
•  5/01 Absolut 8A+ 2^nd go – El Laboratori.
• 5/01 La Bombi 8A+ flash – El Laboratori.

Mirtoglicerina - Margalef  Pic © Pierre Zanone 

      I was very happy and satisfied about this holiday because ,except for the realizations, I spent a lot of time with my family and great friends that is the most important thing.

Family of climbers

Now I’m working hard on some winter projects that makes me sycked to go ahead.

SALUDOS AMIGOS.