Presentation 2009

Daone Ice Master "8th edition": a meeting which repeats itself

The competition 2009
Once again two competitions are scheduled in Daone, the Difficulty and the Speed, both of which are valid for important World Cup points. The new structure will be unveiled just at the Ice Climbing Stadium, and it will be characterized by two towers (32 mt.), with two innovative overhanging boulder zones that have to be faced with dry-tooling techniques. Beside the two towers there will also be the ice roof, which compared with last year presents new overhanging zones outside the roof that have to be crossed in order to reach the top of the tracks. Talking of Ice Boulder, it is worth remembering that the first experiences of bouldering (famous in rock climbing) with ice axes and crampons were carried out here in the Daone Valley. And those who can still remember the ice mushroom created specifically for bouldering will have to change perspective (and angle) and imagine a horizontal roof. The intention is to combine the exertion needed to go over the huge horizontal ice roof with the technique which will be tested by the height and by the difficult and acrobatic overhang in ‘dry', with over 40 mt rope tracks. Put in other words, the joy and pain of all ice climbers.

The competition structure

The new technique for 2009 (Daone traditionally always experiments with something new) are the special holds, created by Climblock, which will allow for dry tooling up... granite - the very same that can be found in the valley. This, we believe, will make going tougher for the athletes, putting technique rather than brute force in the forefront. Maurizio Gallo - the inventor and driving force behind all frozen Ice Master structures - is convinced this will be the case. The ice masters have been working to paste an ice layer onto the structure which is ready for use. In Daone they're ready, regardless of the outside temperature, for a great competition! A competition in which the work of the route setters will prove to be fundamental, and once again the team is comprised of the "veterans" Daone Attilio Munari, Marco and Massimo da Pozzo, joined by Loris Manzana.

Athletes
Never before has Daone seemed so international, and this is due not only to the 4 Korean ice climbers who registered as soon as registration was made possible. The World Champion Jenny Lavarda from Vicenza has already confirmed her presence, just like Bubu Bole, the Italian athlete so much loved and awaited in Daone.

The athletes represent 18 nations... including Scotland, France, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Croatia, Switzerland, Slovenia, Russia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Austria and obviously Italy and the athletes mentioned previously from the land of the rising sun... But the number is bound to rise. It has to be said that, just like every year, the best of the best will compete.

La Sportiva International Ice Meeting - 11th birthday
The Ice Meeting has step by step reached its 11th edition, a very important goal.
And so this 2009 edition renews itself with La Sportiva International Ice Meeting Pareti di Cristallo from 16 to 25 January. Once again this is an opportunity for experts and ice climbing novices to meet in the valley to climb the routes and learn the techniques together with the Friends of Arco mountain guides. More than 250 people participated in the meet last year and, building on this success, the meet has been extended for the entire week.
The Meeting, beside teaching climbing and safety on ice consists of dry tooling tours with the possibility to improve one's technique on a special ice wall purposely built beside the Ice Climbing Stadium competition structure and, of course, on the icefalls in the valley of Daone and other adjacent valleys. The dry and mild winter seasons force the climbers to make the most of what they have: this year it will be necessary to go up the valley to find proper icefalls. It will be a chance to know better the valley of Daone and its 'neighbours'. In any case, as Mauro Girardi of the Friends of Arco mountain guides assures, the ice and the icefalls are there, it is enough to find and choose them.

Countdown
As usual the race is on for the climax, for the world ice climbing competition. The volunteers of the "Comitato Pareti di Cristallo" will continue ceaselessly to "create" ice and the athletes will now begin to sharpen their axes. Daone Ice Master has always been synonymous with sporting spectacle, powered by "true" ice climbing warriors.