Gabriele Gorobey sends 'Xaxid hostel' (9a) at Mišja Peč in Slovenia

Third 9a for Gabriele Gorobey. After his double whammy of Sanjski par extension and Halupca 1979 within a fortnight in 2019, the 38-year-old climber from Trieste recently sent another major line just across the border in Slovenia: Xaxid hostel.

The route, possibly the longest of the entire crag, climbs the central wall of Mišja Peč and was put up by in 2009 by Czech climber Tomáš Mrázek who originally graded 9a+. Over time, the grade has settled at 9a, and the few notable repeats include the likes of Stefano Carnati and Laura Rogora. The intense crux sequence from a smooth crimp requires fingers of steel and ideal conditions.

Gorobey, aka Sbisi, had started trying the route some time ago and despite passing the crux three times, each time he came agonisingly close and fell off the last wet holds, just one move from the easy ground. He never gave up though. Taking advantage of the legendary bora wind howling crazily over the crag and the golden hour, when the sun had just set but the rock was still warm, on Thursday he made the perfect redpoint.

It is worth noting that Gorobey has a climbing resume that goes well beyond these three 9a’s. When he is not on duty at the Gorizia fire station, the tireless Italian is constantly bolting crags around Trieste and throughout Istria, or establishing hard multi-pitch climbs ground-up worldwide.

 

 

 

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