Arco Rock Legends 2007: the nominations

The second edition of the Arco Rock Legends - scheduled for Friday 7 September 2007 at Arco (Garda Trentino, Italy) - proposes once again a list of star climbers for the  "Salewa Rock Award" and the "La Sportiva Competition Award". Taking place on the eve of the XXI Rock Master, the champions competition, this special climbing oscar celebration will be presented for the second year running by Kay Rush and the evening will be a unique occasion to see all of the most important climbers in the world together on the Arco Casinò stage.

The international jury, comprised of 15 of the most important specialised magazines and presided by Fabrizio Miori, councilor for sport and the environment at Arco, has selected the nominations, choosing 5 top climbers for climbing outdoors and 3 competition athletes who distinguished themselves most last season. This is a selection of star climbers of which all climber's dreams are made of.

Five candidates, some rising stars and others consolidated climbers, have been chosen for the "Salewa Rock Award 2007". The most prestigious names in sports climbing and bouldering (new this year to the awards) are in the running for the prizes: from the American Dave Graham, 26 year old from Maine and long-term reference point for climbing on the road on the hardest routes in the world, to his countryman Daniel Woods, the 17 year old unstoppable boulderer and more. From the Spaniard Patxi Usobiaga, extremely strong both on rock and in competitions, to the German Andreas Bindhammer, author of some of the most important ascents of the year, to the young talent (just 14 years old) Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic.

The nominations for the 2007 "La Sportiva Competition Award" include once again Angela Eiter from Austria, winner of the first edition and undisputed queen of competitions, in the running against her 17 year old teammate and climbing phenomena David Lama, and the Spaniard Patxi Usobiaga, winner of the World Cup 2006 and the only climber to be nominated for both awards.

We'll have to wait until the evening of Friday 7 September to find out who will succeed Josune Bereziartu and Angela Eiter, last year's winners of the "Salewa Rock Award 2006" and the "La Sportiva Competition Award 2006". But one thing is certain already: those who will be there at Arco are all top class climbers who will write another page in the history books for Arco and the Rock Legends Awards, the event which has quickly become the synthesis and worldwide reference point for sports climbing and its legends.

Looking at the list of climbers it's almost impossible to guess who will win... But the winner of the first ever Salewa Rock Award  Josune Bereziartu has already confided that she already has her own idea about the possibile winner, while last year's La Sportiva Competition Award winner Angela Eiter stated she was "honoured" to be have been nominated as one of the best competition climbers for the second year running.


INTERNATIONAL JURY
President: Fabrizio Miori (Arco Town Councilor for Tourism and Sport)
Vicepresident: Giorgio Balducci (RAI film director)
The magazines: Alp magazine (ITA), Climber (KO), Desnivel (ESP), 8a.nu (INT), Gory (POL), Grimper (FRA), Klettern (GER), Limits (NDL), Montana (CZE), Pareti (ITA), Rivista del CAI (ITA), Rock & Ice (USA), Summit (GBR), UP (ITA).

SALEWA ROCK AWARD 2007 NOMINATIONS
Period: from June 2006 to June 2007

Andreas Bindhammer (1973, Germany)
For his repeats of Broadway 8c+/9a and Abyss, 9a/+ a Gorges du Loup (France) and La Rambla original, 9a+, two routes of completely different style and character.

Dave Graham (1981, USA)
For his continuous capacity of cutting-edge sports climbing and bouldering ascents, including Eclacamasters 9a, Perles (Spain), the first ascent of Los Borrachos de Mascun 9a (Rodellar, Spain) and the first ascent of the boulder Scarred for Life Fb8B+ a Fionnay, Switzerland.

Adam Ondra (1993, Czech Republic)
At just 14 years of age Ondra is capable of performing in all disciplines, from his 9a repeats (Martin Krpan Misja Pec, Slovenia and Erfolg ist trainierbar reclimbed 9a Adlitzgraben, Austria)  to bouldering (first ascent of Spicka ledovce 8a+, Lidomorna).

Daniel Woods (1989, USA)
At just 17 years of age one of the best boulderers in the world, with the first ascent of Jade Fb8C Rocky Mountains National Park, Ode to the Modern Man, Fb8b+/8c at Mt. Evans, USA and numerous top end repeats.

Patxi Usobiaga (1980, Spain)
For the first ascent of Begi Puntuan, 9a at Etxauri, Navarra, Spain, his second 8c on-sight Pata Negra, at Rodellar, Spain and a myriad of 8b+ on-sights.


LA SPORTIVA COMPETITION AWARD 2007 NOMINATIONS
Period: competition season 2005/2006

Angela Eiter (1986, Austria)
Winner of the  Lead World Cup 2006, winner of the Combined Ranking (Bouldering + Lead).

David Lama (1990, Austria)
For his debut in the senior World Cup: European Champion Lead, 2nd place in the World Cup Lead 2006 and winner of one stage of the Bouldering World Cup 2006.

Patxi Usobiaga (1980, Spain)
Winner of the Lead World Cup 2006.