Melloblocco is back – 30th April to 3rd May
- Tuesday 17th March 2015
March 17th, 2015
The famous Melloblocco festival is to be held as usual in Val Masino between April 30th and May 3rd.
Set in the alpine meadows, the bouldering festival is seen almost as a rite of passage for some. Now in its thirteenth year, Melloblocco will be bigger than ever with ‘festival boulders’ scattered all across the valley. A series of specifically designed circuits will guide those taking part around the scenic parts of the valley. Three circuits of three different difficulty levels have been set, each consisting of 10 problems: “Il circuito dei Sassisti” graded 6A/6B, “Il circuito del Melat” graded 6C/+ and “Il circuito del Gigiat” graded 7A/7B.
There are 9 classic prize-winning problems for each category, men and women, and these can be attempted throughout the entire event. As usual the top boulders will be contended by some of the best climbers in the world, and those who have already signed up are two of Melloblocco’s most accomplished athletes, Gabriele Moroni and Barbara Zangerl. They will be joined by the likes of Daniel Jung, Dave Graham, Enrico Baistrocchi, Jacopo Larcher, Nacho Sánchez, Nalle Hukkataival, Ramon Julian Puigblanque, Stefano Ghisolfi, Hansjörg Auer, Leah Crane, and Stefano Carnati. Many more are yet to join the list.
A number of big name stars are attending the festival for the Saturday night bash including; Steve House the American mountainaeer, Christian Core the top boulderer who will be joined on stage with his partner Stella Marchisio. Also attending is Jorg Verhoven.
Over the weekend festival attendees will be able to try the latest climbing shoes and gear. There’s also a climbing and nutrition lecture as well as a tasting session for the Valtellina wines and local products. The festival also includes videos and book presentations including the latest guidebook to the area.
Melloblocco is open to all. For more info including the programme and registration click through here to go to the official website