Rock Master 2020: world's most classic climbing competition cancelled

The Covid-19 epidemic has had a significant impact on sport climbing, too, and for the first time in its 35-year history the Rock Master climbing competition will not take place as planned. The Italian tournament gave rise to modern sport climbing competitions and for over 30 years it has been a traditional fixture in the international competition calendar, accompanying this sport from its beginnings all the way to the Olympic Games.

In addition to playing a vital role in the history of sport climbing, the tournament has also heavily influenced local tourism and the economic development of the Arco and Garda Trentino area.

Ever since the start the Arco Sport Climbing Club “Società Sportiva Arrampicata Sportiva Arco” has managed the tournament and now, after careful assessment, it has concluded that due to health, economic and social concerns it will not be possibile to organise the Rock Master 2020 edition scheduled for the end of August.

As a result the current level of uncertainty due to when and how lockdown will end, and the likely steps that will be taken in the coming months to contain the infection, it is not possible to plan an event that every year attracts attracts thousands of spectators to the Climbing Stadium, as well as dozens of volunteers, technicians and athletes from all over the world.

In addition, there will be a lack of funds from our partner companies as they respond to the strains placed on them during world’s financial crisis.

Furthermore, we can no longer ignore the fact that this crisis is also heavily affecting our region. We therefore wish to liberate economic resources that the public administration can now allocate, instead of supporting the event, to policies aimed at dealing with social and economic emergencies triggered by the Covid-19 crisis.

In analysing the present moment realistically, we wish to look towards the future with renewed optimism and work towards a new Rock Master in 2021.

Just as the 1987 Rock Master was a visionary event that paved the way for a new tourism model for the city of Arco and its local economy, so must the 2021 Rock Master become a catalyst for renewed outdoor tourism in Arco and the Garda Trentino region. A clear response therefore to the local Covid-19 crisis.

This year the enforced stop will serve to focus on ideas that range from new competition formats to a refurbishment of the historical Climbing Stadium.

For the 2020 edition we had planned to present a second Rock Master book which, in words and photos, delves into the last 15 competition years and joins the first volume that celebrated Rock Master’s 20th anniversary.

In autumn, health conditions permitting, we wish to invite you therefore to an event that retraces thirty-five years of Rock Master history and outlines our ideas for the future.

SSD ARRAMPICATA SPORTIVA ARCO SRL Il Presidente – Mario Morandini

ROCK MASTER HALL OF FAME
1987 Lynn Hill (USA) - Stefan Glowacz (GER)
1988 Lynn Hill (USA) – Patrick Edlinger (FRA), Stefan Glowacz (GER)
1989 Lynn Hill (USA) - Didier Raboutou (FRA)
1990 Lynn Hill (USA) - François Legrand (FRA)
1991 Isabelle Patissier (FRA) - Yuji Hirayama (JPN)
1992 Lynn Hill (USA) - Stefan Glowacz (GER)
1993 Susi Good (SUI) - Elie Chevieux (SUI)
1994 Robyn Erbesfield (USA) - François Legrand (FRA)
1995 Laurence Guyon (USA) - François Lombard (FRA)
1996 Katie Brown (USA) - François Lombard (FRA)
1997 Katie Brown (USA) - François Legrand (FRA)
1998 Liv Sansoz (FRA) - François Legrand (FRA)
1999 Muriel Sarkany (BEL) - Eugeny Ovtchinnikov (RUS)
2000 Muriel Sarkany (BEL) - Eugeny Ovtchinnikov (RUS)
2001 Muriel Sarkany (BEL), Martina Cufar (SLO) - Christian Bindhammer (GER), Tomas Mrazek (CZ), Yuji Hirayama (JPN)
2002 Sandrine Levet (FRA) - Alexandre Chabot (FRA)
2003 Angela Eiter (AUT) - Alexandre Chabot (FRA)
2004 Angela Eiter (AUT) - Alexandre Chabot (FRA)
2005 Angela Eiter (AUT) - Ramòn Julien Puigblanque (ESP)
2006 Sandrine Levet (FRA) - Ramòn Julien Puigblanque (ESP)
2007 Angela Eiter (AUT) - Ramòn Julien Puigblanque (ESP)
2008 Johanna Ernst (AUT) - Patxi Usobiaga (ESP)
2009 Angela Eiter (AUT) - Ramòn Julien Puigblanque (ESP)
2010 Kim Jain (JPN) - Ramòn Julien Puigblanque (ESP) - IFSC CWC Pre-event
2011 Chereshneva Yana (RUS) - Adam Ondra (CZE)
2012 Angela Eiter (AUT) - Ramòn Julien Puigblanque (ESP)
2013 Mina Markovič (SLO) - Ramòn Julien Puigblanque (ESP)
2014 Magdalena Röck (AUT) - Sachi Amma (JPN)
2015 Hélène Janicot (FRA) - Adam Ondra (CZE)
2016 Janja Garnbret (SLO) - Adam Ondra (CZE)
2017 Julia Chanourdie (FRA) - Adam Ondra (CZE)
2018 Janja Garnbret (SLO) - Adam Ondra (CZE)
2019 Mia Krampl (SLO) - Jakob Schubert (AUT)

Info: www.rockmasterfestival.com