Just how and why it happened is one of the many small mysteries that this free -spirited bouldering meeting has got us accustomed to. Perhaps it was due to the air that had a special something. To the special something on the faces of those who turned up to Melloblocco.
Fotostrecke: Melloblocco 2014: Day Three
The fact of the matter is that today the atmosphere was different, driven by the desire to climb, in peace. In short, it all seemed relaxed and perfect. Could it be for this reason perhaps that 2500 climbers officially registered for Melloblocco?
Of course all credit goes to the multicolored, slightly crazy and truly young Mello tribe, and never before had so many young climbers gathered in the valley. Credit goes to their irrepressible and never-ending spirit, and also to their boundless energy.And credit also goes to the magnificent sun, to just the right breeze that pushed the clouds away from the blue sky and rock faces. Yes, somewhere there really must be a God who loves boulderers. Credit also goes to the boulder problems themselves, true natural rock gems. The incredible desire to climb did the rest.
And so all the valley's boulders and rock faces were checked out, courted, caressed, attempted and also – but not always – climbed. And this is how the bouldering and climbing game evolved, almost as if it were an ancient ritual. Marked by that quite particular, multi-faceted, overwhelming and free spirit of the Melloblockers.A spirit that could be felt clearly at "Cambia ala", one of the 9 female problems: Giovanna Pozzoli sent it and then, instead of scrambling to the top, she stopped to clean the holds on the crux, sharing some "beta" to the other "pretenders" to the top down below. True bouldering spirit. Chapeau! And, similarly, it's worth underlining the generous nature of all those Melloblockers who took part in the Climb For Life campaign to become bone marrow donors.
On the competition front, this was another day to be remembered. The men's provisional ranking is now led by Gabriele Moroni, Alexey Rubtsov, Anthony Gullstein, Stefano Ghisolfi and Sachi Amma, all with 6 tops. They are followed, with 5 tops, by Marcello Bombardi and Ivailo Radkov Fazata, while Jacopo Larcher trails with 4.In the women's competition Julia Abramchuk and Mélissa Le Nevé took the lead by sending 8 problems, one more than Jenny Lavarda, Barbara Zangerl and superb 14-year-old Giorgia Tesio.Giada Zampa trails with 6, just ahead of Federica Mingolla and Alexandra Ladurner with 5. The men's event will no doubt concentrate on the last 3 unclimbed problems: El Calamar, Hell Boy and Off With Belly. And in the women's event the challenge will go to the wire on all the last unsolved problems. It promises to be a great battle…
This evening marks the debut of a theatre piece at Mello, promoted by Montura and called "(S)legati per sempre" by Fabris e Bicocchi and based on Touching the Void by Joe Simpson.This will be followed by the show, promoted by adidas, with Barbara Zangerl, Alex Luger & Lukas Irmler and their "Babsi Zangerl rocks the hard climbs" and "Alex Luger Austrian hard liner plus – Some insights into the slackline world!" After which the time will come for the ritual Melloblocco party: reggae, dancehall, juggling!
Melloblocco will draw to a close tomorrow with the sun! And more Melloblockers are bound to come as well as a special guest: the "Quelli che il calcio" RAI 2 TV presenter. Communication Melloblocco
Mountain Network – PlanetMountain.com
When: 30 April – 4 May 2014
Where: Val di Mello / Val Masino (Valtellina, Sondrio, Italy)
What: the world's biggest bouldering meeting
Who: for all those who love bouldering, from across the globe
What for: climb the numerous boulders and valley rock faces
Organisation: Associazione Operatori Val Masino
Info and program: www.melloblocco.it