Vertical-Life
Christian Core - a humble star!
Some peoples have been on the scene for so long that you cant remember but still they are kind of unknown. By coincidence I met one of these guys on a world-cup in Edinburgh in 2005. This was my first world-cup, and this was also one of the first jobs I did for 8a.nu. In a corner, listening to music there was this guy that I did recognize but had no idea who he was. Five minutes later I was invited to come and climb with him in Italy. The guy was Christian core, world champion in bouldering and one of the best completion climbers ever!After 10 minutes I did understood how addicted this guy was to climbing, he were talking about projects, competitions, new areas and great places to visit for a climbing trip. Unfortunately he was called out to compete and I didnt have a chance to finish the interview.
Four years later I met Christian again, on a competition, again! This was just after the qualification round, we both were out of the competition, I was frustrated over my performance, as it seemed, and he wasnt. - it´s a competition, it´s all about having fun. Sometimes you do well, sometimes bad, but the important thing is that you do your best and enjoy climbing! Christian started climbing when he was 12 years old, he went to the gym and also had the opportunity to join up with other climbers and climb outside. Like many other youngsters, starting climbing he started training more and more and 5 years later he was selected in the police climbing team. -This was/is such an opportunity for me. I could climb full time, go on competitions, go outdoor climbing and always know that I have the support from the police force. If I win bouldering competitions like: World championship, European championship, world cups and Italian comps it's because the Police supported me. For peoples that don´t know about this system it might sound strange. Christian is working for the police, he has a police patch but his job is to climb! I guess you think what a lucky bastard but if someone deserves this chance it´s Christian, a true role model and such an inspiring person! Photo from one of many trips around the world, this one in Bichop, Carlifornia on the classic boulder "Mandala", 8A (c)S.Marchisio 20 years have passed since Christian started climbing, One of those boulders might be more known than (c) R Armando After 15 years of full-time climbing I guess many would have lost the motivation but not Christian. With a personal artificial wall at his house he´s training as hard as always, there are no secret tips, no strange nor crazy methods, he just found himself lucky being able to climb full time. Varazze is 25 minutes away from Christians house and normally he climbs outside 4-5 days a week, working hard projects but also cleaning new boulders with some friends. Those hard projects is one of the main reasons for his high motivation, but also when you talk to Christian you understand that he loves climbing, every bit of it and he is so thankful for having the chance he had in this life!
When he looks back on his long climbing-life there are a few things that he keeps close on his mind, -winning the world championship, European championship and also the world cup two times. Traveling around the world, meeting peoples that love climbing just as much as I do, visiting beautiful places and climbing hard boulders, it´s all magic for me! Photo from Verazze, Italy. One of many of Christians masterpieces, "Amamel", 8B. (c) S. Marchisio According to Christian the biggest change in climbing during those 20 years is all the gyms that have opened, youngsters gets crazy strong and the competition scene have become harder. There are so many strong climbers these days which is just great because the level of climbing will increase and more futuristic lines will be climbed further on. This year have been a little bit different for Christian, he just got back home from honeymoon and haven´t been climbing as much as usual. I asked him, have you climbed anything I can write about and humble as he is he responds that he haven´t climbed that much but also writes down 10-15 8A/8B:s or harder that he have climbed ;)There are still a few 8A/8B:s that are waiting to be climbed but right now there is no project like Gioia on his mind. Photo: "Nirvana" in Verazze (c) S. Marchisio
Photo from Hueco Tanks, on "Slash Face" 8B,
by S.Marchisio
he has done some great achievements but still there is
no lack of energy or motivation. During the last couple
of years Christian has been opening FA.s near his
house in Varazze, Italy. And now your thinking we all
have opened boulders, it´s not a big thing. The
difference is that Christian has cleaned and opened
over 600 boulders in this area, and still has the plan
to open as many more!
others. Last year Christian put up his hardest boulder
ever, Gioia, 8c. This might be one of the hardest
boulders in the world. Some French strong guys
have tried it and found it hard and said 8c+ for sure.
For me the grade is not that important and I also find
it bad when really hard boulders get downgraded. Christian
worked this problem 4 months full time and is now
waiting for someone to repeat it!
Over the years I have met some interesting peoples but Christian might be one of the most humble and motivating peoples I have ever met. Such a passion for the sport, such a motivation and so thankful for being able to live his life as he does it!
He has a police patch but he doesnt need to use it, all he needs to do is to climb and he says he has everything to thank the police in Italy for this opportunity. And if you go out there and starting chipping holds the police patch might show up in your face, not otherwise ;)