Milan Climbing 2011, the climbing World Cup kicks off in Milan

BOULDERING WORLD CUP (62 men and 43 women)
In the men's competition it's been confirmed that the number one athlete, Adam Ondra, will not take part as he is probably concentrating on the Arco World Championship in July, with a pitstop at the Melloblocco in May. Apart from this absence, all the best will take part, captained by Austrian Kilian Fischhuber, currently ranked No. 2 in the world and for seven consecutive seasons in the top two podium positions and a stagging five overall victories. Tsukuru Hori from Japan will take part (#3), as will the Russians Dmitry Sharafutdinov and Rustam Gelmanov (#4 and #5 respectively), Britain's Stewart Watson (#6), France's Guillaume Glairon Mondet (#7), another Russian, Aleksey Rubtsov (#8), the Ukranian Mykhaylo Shalagin (#9) and Klemen Becan (#10) from Slovenia. Italy's chances are shouldered above all by Gabriele Moroni (#23 in 2010, but with an excellenct 3rd place overall in 2009) and the expert Christian Core (#26), World Bouldering Champion in 2003 and winner of the Bouldering World Cups in 1999 and 2002.
In the women's comeptition, ten out of the top twelve female boulders will take part. The duel between Akiyo Noguchi from Japan (#1) and Anna Stohr (#2) from Austria will begin once again. Alex Johnson (#4) from the USA, Juliane Wurm (#5) from Germany, Melissa La Neve (#7) and Cecile Avezou (#9) from France and Mina Markovic (#10) from Slovenia all home to win the jackpot, as does the Italian Jenny Lavarda (#12) who last season managed to qualify for two World Cup finals. Much is expected of Anna Borella (Ita) who makes her World Cup debut in her home town, as well as the winner of the Italian Bouldering Cup 2010 Elena Chiappa (Ita).

SPEED WORLD CUP (34 men and 27 women)
Four of the fastest climbers in the world will start in Milan: the Russians Stanislav Kokorin (#1), Evgeny Vaysekhosky (#2), Sergey Sinitsyn (#4) and Libor Hroza (Cze), as well as the other Russian Sergey Abdrakhmanov (#6) and the outsider Lukasz Swirk (#7) from Poland.
The women's title will be contended between world #1 Yuliya Levochkina from Russia, Edyta Ropek (#2) from Poland and the other Russian, Alekseeva (#3). But there is also an Italian who dreams of upsetting the favourites, namely the 21-year-old promise from Arco Sara Morandi, world #9 who managed an extraordinary place in last season's World Cup. Another Milan-based climber makes her debut here, namely Chiara Limonta and no doubt she will receive a special welcome from the Passaggio Obbligato climbing gym fans.

THE ITALIANS
Gianpaolo Scialpi, the technical director of the Italian squad, has summoned a powerful and seasoned group of athletes to represent Italy: Stefan Scarperi, Michele Caminati, Christian Core, Stefano Ghisolfi, Gabriele Moroni and Niccolò Ceria for the men's boudlering and Jenny Lavarda, Elena Chiappa and Anna Borella for the women. Stefano Ghisolfi, Leonardo Gontero, Gianluca Sirotti and Michel Sirotti will take part in the men's Speed while Sara Morandi, Michela Facci, Federica Mingolla and Chiara Limonta the women's.

Apart fromt he two international climbing competitions there are also a series of other side-events which will render Milan Climbing 2011 even more attractive and special.

SIDE EVENTS
"Thursday 14 April will be an important day" explained Matteo Pastori, at the helm of the Lombardy Regioanl Committe since 2007 "Thanks to the 'School Day' and the collaboration with the Miur (Ministry for teaching, university and research, Editor's note) we will be able to host the Regional Student's Sports Day for all students between 14 - 16 years of age. At present over 120 children have registered and this is obviously a great occasion to publicise climbing."
Furthermore, on Sunday 17 April there will be a unique occasion for all boulderers: "we'll use the wall implemented by Milan Climbing 2011" and we've organised a great open-air meeting for everyone, athletes and beginners alinke, with a bouldering and speed comeptition which are also valid for the National Open circuit.

NOT JUST CLIMBING - Last but not least the rich program of worldly pleasures!
On Friday 15 April VIBRAM has organised a party starting at 19:00 in via Tortona, with a live TV broadcast of the event. The World Cyp will be transmitted live on RAI Sport.
On Saturday 16 April the American Contourella Repubblica has organised a party which kicks off at 21:00.
The partys continue on Saturday evening in one of Milan's best clubs, the Old Fashion Café (at the Triennale) in Viale Alemagna 6. Organised by the climbers themselves (first and foremost by Simone Raina) this party kicks off at 22:30 on Saturday 16 April and finishes at 05:00 on 17 April. Click here for more info.


PROGRAM

Bouldering World Cup
FRIDAY 15 APRIL
10.00 Qualification men
15.30 Qualification women
SATURDAY 16 APRIL
11.30 Semifinals men and women
16.30 Presentaiton of the finalists
17.00 Finals men and women
18.45 Awards Ceremony

Speed World Cup
SUNDAY 17 APRIL
10.00 Qualification men
10.30 Qualification women
14.00 Presentaiton of the finalists
14.30 Finals men and women
16.30 Awards Ceremony

Everyone's competition
SUNDAY 17 APRIL
11.00 MILANO BOULDER CONTEST, PROMOTIONAL MEETING (non-competitive meeting open to all, route setters: Enrico Baistrocchi & Alberto Gnerro)
10.00 YOUNGSTERS CATEGORY Under 8 Under 10
11.00 YOUNGSTERS CATEGORY Under 12 Under 14
12.00 YOUNGSTERS Under 16 Under 18 Under 20 + CATEGORIA AMATORI
15.30 - 1ST OPEN C.N.O. LOMBARDY BOULDERING CUP (competitors)
18.00 - 1ST OPEN C.N.O LOMBARDY SPEED CUP (competitors)