Rock Master 2021 live streaming on Friday at Arco

On Wednesday at 11.59 pm, ie a minute before midnight, it’s your last chance to grab a front row ticket to the Arco Rock Master climbing competition. The event will take place on Friday 27 August and this year provides a particular challenge, almost an anticipation of the Paris Olympics, with the Border and Lead Combined event.

This year Rock Master celebrates it’s 34th edition and, as such, it is by far the oldest climbing competition in the world. The anti Covid regulations have forced the organisers to significantly reduce the number of spectators at the Climbing Stadium, hence tickets are available online via the official website www.rockmasterfestival.com. Only lucky few will be allowed to watch the unfolding of events live, but some tickets are still up for grabs.

The completion begins with the KO Boulder, an original formula reserved for eight selected athletes. The four problems can be analysed and worked on the day before, enabling the athletes to perform their very best during the competition. The athletes have only three attempts at solving each problem, and the two lowest ranking climbers are eliminated after problem. On the final problem the best three battle it out for bouldering victory.

The "Duel" is the hallmark event of the Arco Rock Master. The athletes are given the chance to observe the route, after which a first run determines the seeding. The eight athletes then compete against each other on parallel, identical routes, and the fastest to the top wins. In the end, the male and female athlete with the best score of boulder and lead combined will win the Rock Master 2021 Trophy.

Five times winner Adam Ondra will take part, as will three Italian Tokyo 2020 athletes, namely Laura Rogora, Michael Piccolruaz and Ludovico Fossali. Laura Rogora has numerous great memories from the Climbing Stadium: "I have been competing in Arco since I was little and I have many excellent memories from here, first of all the 2019 Youth World Championship where I won three gold medals. The atmosphere here is truly magical, it’s one of my favorite comps, because of my past achievements but also because competing in front of the home crowd is always great.”

Michael Piccolruaz has no doubts: “It's a historic event, as a young child I went to see the competitions and admired the great athletes, it’s here that I got really motivated to climb and treat of one day competing in the Rock Master. I’ve taken part in 4 editions, but only ever in the KO Boulder event, where twice I finished fourth. Just missing out on the podium is a painful experience, and I’d like to finally do good and get a medal. I think this combined format will suit me since I’m quite a fast climber."

After his Tokyo performance Ludovico Fossali inow stated: "I'm certainly not satisfied. I had detailed plans on what I wanted to achieve at the Olympics, but I failed. I’d say that from here things can only get better Competing at the Rock Master is uniquely exciting. Being invited to one of the most historic events in climbing is incredible. I’m the first speed specialist to be invited, and that means a lot to me, too." Stefano Ghisolfi will also take part, as will Martin Stranik from the Czech Republic, Domen Skofic from Slovenia, Nicolai Uznik from Austria and Yannick Flohè from Germany.

The women’s lineup includes 2019 podium winners Mia Krampl from Slovenia, Molly Thompson Smith from the UK and Italy’s Laura Rogora. They will be joined by teammate Giorgia Tesio, Vita Lukan from Slovenia, Fanny Gibert from France, Eliska Adamskova from the Czech Republic and the Jessica Pilz from Austria, fresh from her Olympian performance in Tokyo.

The competitions start on Friday at 11:00 with the female KO Boulder and continue at 15:00 with the male event, while the Duel Lead starts at 21:00. For those who want to enjoy the sporting spectacle from the comfort of their home TV, RAI Sport will broadcast the Duel live from 9 pm to 11 pm with the entire Duel and include highlights of Boulder competition. While the entire event will be streamed on the official website www.rockmasterfestival.com

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)
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)