Melloblocco Day 3: out of batteries, game over (for today)

From 2004 until today, every Melloblocco day is a photocopy of itself. Wake up late, have a long coffee, take a stroll in San Martino and around the Climbing Village to see who's there and then, shoulder your belongings and crash pads and off you go, towards the boulder problems. Perhaps even to a bloc you hadn't thought about until 20 minutes ago... But that's cool, because this is the essence of Melloblocco: climbing and having a great day out with friends, in a shockingly beautiful valley, while exploring new corners of Val Masino and Val di Mello or simply returning to those places that, for one reason or another, have become one of your favourite.

Today like yesterday and yesterday like tomorrow, Melloblocco is all of this. And much much more: slacklining, yoga, Tai Chi, massages, climbing workshops (crack, trad and big wall), bongos in the woods, swimming in the river, picnics on the meadows and so on and so forth. put. All that was missing were some kitesurfers someone said, but we're sure that sooner or later...

Someone else, after finally reaching the top of their boulder, exclaimed "it felt like climbing a skyscraper". His friends on the grass below bellowed in laughter. The problem, it has to be said, wasn't exactly a highball, maybe more like a mediumball, but the excitment he had just felt was certainly pure and real. Nice one mate.

And it was nice it was to see the top climbers action, as usual on problems right next to easier ones tried by us mere mortals. This too is another hallmark of Melloblocco. Every year the strength, skill and determination of these athletes impresses more and more, first off Michael Piccolruaz who sent an old project in the valley, immediately to the right of Unità di Produzione in the Sasso Remenno area, which is now reckoned to be a very solid 8B. Confirmed by star climber Stefano Carnati who repeated it a few minutes later. While Simone Tentori fell from the slab, in theory when the difficulties ease up considerably.

But bouldering is like that, it doesn't give anything away, ever. Only fun and games, until the batteries - those of the fans and those in your the arms - run out. Then it's game over, and time to think about tomorrow.

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MELLOBLOCCO 2024
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When: 8 - 11 May 2024
Where: Val di Mello / Val Masino (Valtellina, Sondrio, Italy)
What: the world's biggest bouldering meeting
Who: for all those who love bouldering, from across the globe
What for: climb the numerous boulders and valley rock faces
Organisation: Associazione Operatori Val Masino
Info: www.melloblocco.it / Instagram / Facebook