RockShow 2012: the winners visit Italy's RockMaster

The smell of chalk hangs in the air. Faces drawn, but radiant with joy. Young male and female athletes bouldering beyond their personal limits. Spectators enraptured, staring at the wall excitedly: this was the final of Rockshow 2012 which once again took part during Europe's most important outdoor trade face the OutDoor show at Friedrichshafen. Up for grabs were not only the victory in an increasingly important competition, but also two exclusive VIP tickets to Rockmaster 2012. So how did it go? Anna Vollenweyder from Austria and Michael Schreiber from Germany won the thrilling final.

We got the chance to learn more about the winners during their stay in Italy as VIP spectators of Rockmaster 2012. During that festival week they climbed at the crags dotted around Arco and at the SALEWA Cube climbing wall, as well as taking walks around Bolzano and enjoying an exclusive dinner at Castel Flavon.

Young Anna, a mere 17, travelled to Italy with her boyfriend Jan Haiko, another talented climber. She started climbing aged 6, will finish school this year and plans to go to university. She hopes to combine her studies with her climbing and has already planned a trip to Fontainebleau in France where he she wants to send her outstanding projects. She loves that trip in particular because every time she returns she feels that little bit stronger.

Michael Schreiber is 24 years old and lives in Berlin, climbing is his great love and the Rockshow victory enabled to see his first-ever Rock Master competition, together with his girlfriend Leidy Arianna Lopez Regalado Michael has an ambitious plan next year: travel around the world and climb in beautiful and unspoilt places. The first leg of the trip will be Tonsai Beach in Thailand, not bad!

The objective of RockShow is to for everyone to enjoy themselves and for participants to get to know more about SALEWA. This fun was palpable, during all the qualification events and the individual tour stages.

The date is set for 2013, for the fifth edition of Rockshow, to challenge the rules of gravity once again!