It was a very intense end to 2022, the best way to project myself already towards a 2023 that promises to be full of challenges. It’s time to take stock and surely I can be satisfied with how this season went, with the challenge in Norway and the victory at the Italian Championships. And also in November and December, after the end of the competition season, I dedicated myself to other stimulating and very interesting projects.

At the end of October I took part in the “Red Bull dual ascent” race on the Val Verzasca dam, in Switzerland in the Canton of Ticino: a truly spectacular event in breathtaking scenery. Together with Marcello Bombardi, another Italian climber, we climbed the dam along a multipitch route of 180 meters. A new experience, never done before, since usually the climbs are around 20 meters. It was truly an incredible feat, also embellished by the third place we managed to reach in the final ranking, thanks to only 54 minutes taken to complete the climb.

The route ran from the base of the dam in six different pitches and both, in turn, we completed them all without falling. It was great to try something new in such a fascinating context and compare myself with many other climbers who took part in the event.

Then in November I went to the United States to be part of “The North Face” athletes summit.  Three days together with over 100 athletes of different disciplines. This was also an experience to remember: we found ourselves in California, in Bishop, an area very renowned especially for bouldering. We spent three days of climbing and conviviality, comparing both with ourselves and with the other The North Face athletes.

After the meeting, Sara and I stayed in Bishop for another ten days and I managed to take away a little satisfaction: I climbed a very difficult boulder called Goldfish Trombone, the most difficult I have ever done. At first it has a horizontal roof with very difficult movements, then the end is also complicated. It  is an 8B+, quite hard boulder, I did it in two days and for me, who do not consider myself  a boulderer, it is a great result!

Leaving the United States, we returned to Italy at the end of November and from that moment we relaxed in Arco. I went straight again on Excalibur, my great goal for 2023 that I hope to be able to send by March. By now you know, it is a famous very hard route and still to be freed.  Will Bosi, a Scottish climber  very strong in bouldering, also came to share some attempts with me: I must say that I have  made great progress forward, I fell quite high, I have confidence and I can do it. Excalibur is definitely my first thought for the beginning of 2023.