Italian Lead Cup, Claudia Ghisolfi and Alberto Gotta win at L'Aquila

The third stage of the Italian Lead Cup took place on Sunday 19 June at the new indoor climbing wall recently constructed in the Municipality of Villa San Angelo (L'Aquila). Put like this, the competition seems like a regular occurrence, but if you bear in mind that 90% of Villa San Angelo was destroyed by the 2009 earthquake, that 17 people died, that the local population still largely lives in MAP (provisional housing) and that only circa 200 people currently live in Villa San Angelo, perhaps you can understand how a competition in this unknown little town in Abruzzo perhaps gained a special meaning.

I’d like to thank the Municipality of Villa San Angelo, the Mayor and the Sports Councillor, who placed their trust in climbing, and I’d also like to thank those who financed the climbing wall, namely the Italian Alpine Club and Vodafone Foundation, and perhaps even those who believed that, every now and then, climbing competitions also take place down South.

When Ariano Amici, the president of the Italian sports climbing federation, asked us if we wanted to organize a competition in Central/ Southern Italy, we leapt at the opportunity. From what I can remember, a competition of this sort hadn’t been organized since 1999 (which El Cap organised, won by Dino Lagni and Jenny Lavarda). It’s a shame though that very few athletes from this "unlucky" part of Italy, in climbing terms, took advantage of this rare event.

Having said that, the few "southerners" and a small group of athletes - the bravest - those who decided to embark on such a "long" trip, provided an intense competition. And despite the flood in the warm-up zone, the climbing was fought-out and exciting, and consequently the 100-strong crowd in this little climbing gym went wild.

Alberto Gotta (Cus Torino), Francesco Vettorata and Marcello Bombardi all topped out in the finals and Gotta won since he climbed a few seconds faster than Vettorata, while Bombardi placed third of count back to the Semis. In the women’s event the athletes battled it out to the final hold; Claudia Ghisolfi climbed second to last and the spectators cheered her on to the top. Silvia Cassol, provisional first at this point, was put under pressure and placed second, ahead of Francesca Medici, third.

Although the climbing wall is neither high not steep the route setters Leonardo Di Marino, Matteo Cittadini and Luca Parisse and the athletes alike managed to provide a spectacular event… despite the absentees.

Daniele Adriani
El Cap President

RESULTS MALE
1 Alberto Gotta C.U.S. Torino
2 Francesco Vettorata Climband a s.d.
3 Marcello Bombardi Centro Sportivo Esercito
4 Fabio De Cesero Climband a s.d.
5 Lorenzo Carasio ROCODROMO ASD
6 Alessandro Zeni Centro Sportivo Esercito
7 Lorenzo Angelozzi Mondi Verticali Teramo
8 Roberto Parisse El Cap L'Aquila
9 Jean Pierre Bovo B-Side Torino
10 Bryan Vantini Mondi Verticali Teramo
11 Andrea D'Addazio Vertigo 2000 Penne
12 Pierfrancesco De Falcis Equilibrium Soc. Coop. S.D.
13 Gianmarco Visca Climband a s.d.
14 William Lapisa ROCODROMO ASD
15 Luca Silvaroli L'Arpiglio Campobasso
16 Andrea Molinario Arrampicata Sport.Rivoli
17 Emilio Silvaroli L'Arpiglio Campobasso
18 Fabrizio Lepidi El Cap L'Aquila
19 Riccardo Rotilio Four Climbers

RESULTS FEMALE
1 Claudia Ghisolfi FIAMME ORO MOENA
2 Manuela Valsecchi Team Gamma Lecco
3 Francesca Medici VERTIGINE 1996 ASD
4 Sofia Castellani B-Side Torino
5 Martina Blanchet B-Side Torino
6 Silvia Cassol Climband a s.d.
7 Consuelo Sallustio L'Arpiglio Campobasso
8 Susanna Cortese Milanoarrampicata A.S.D.
9 Valentina Sacripanti Anime Verticali Ascoli
10 Maria Pettinelli El Cap L'Aquila


- Click here for all the photos of Luca Parisse on facebook ELCAP INDOOR CLIMBING