4 November 2024
Caroline Ciavaldini, 39, does Greenspit (8b/+) trad
Caroline Ciavaldini, who last year did her first 8b+ trad, has done the third female ascent of Greenspit (8b) in Valle del Orco. Between 2002 and 2011, Caro competed in 66 Lead World Cups, finishing in the Top 12 in 58 of them.
"At the end of September I started trying Greenspit again, after a couple of earlier sessions in May of this year, when I actually tore my hamstring trying the route. Coming back this Autumn was almost like starting again, as Iโd forgotten most of my beta. This was my fourth session back on the route this season and it was the same game as every time, I didnโt think I was going to do it today. I felt under pressure, I felt grumpy, I warmed-up and it didnโt feel great. I didnโt think I was ready. I realised I had to change my mindset and just enjoy the climbing and appreciate I had James and the kids there with me.
On my first go, I managed to make a new high point before falling. Iโve never had two good tries in one day before on Greenspit, so I wasnโt that optimistic about my second go. Itโs my first real route of this type and it was so nice to feel almost like a beginner again. I loved the process of trying to improve on these jams and I used visualisation a lot for this route, especially for the first section (up to the rest), which should actually be relatively straightforward but which I found particularly hard. I really had to take it move by move, only focussing on the current jam and not thinking beyond that. Not even really thinking about doing the whole route, but just getting through the next move.
On my second go of the day, I made it through the first section, to the rest. Something Iโd never done twice in one day before now. At the rest, I was able to clear my mind, I knew the second section like the back of my hand, as Iโd spent many recent nights visualising how Iโd climb it. So, I just let my body do what it knew how to do. I still had the main cruxes ahead of me but I just went at it with nothing really in my mind and the next thing I know Iโve arrived at the rest after the last crux. Just a couple of movements left do do and I didnโt want to fluff it. Now I started to feel a bit of pressure. I had made a choice to protect myself with just a single โfriendโ for this last section, which Iโd placed rather hurridly. Images of this piece ripping and me taking a ground-fall infront of my young kids flashed through my mind momentarily. I managed to block it out and make those last few moves. Iโd done it! Overall, itโs been a really cool journey. The process of building my โcrack-machineโ (with the help of my neighbours), training on it, perfecting my technique and working through the pain barrier to learn something new and climb this iconic route, with my whole family watching, has been pretty amazing!"
"At the end of September I started trying Greenspit again, after a couple of earlier sessions in May of this year, when I actually tore my hamstring trying the route. Coming back this Autumn was almost like starting again, as Iโd forgotten most of my beta. This was my fourth session back on the route this season and it was the same game as every time, I didnโt think I was going to do it today. I felt under pressure, I felt grumpy, I warmed-up and it didnโt feel great. I didnโt think I was ready. I realised I had to change my mindset and just enjoy the climbing and appreciate I had James and the kids there with me.
On my first go, I managed to make a new high point before falling. Iโve never had two good tries in one day before on Greenspit, so I wasnโt that optimistic about my second go. Itโs my first real route of this type and it was so nice to feel almost like a beginner again. I loved the process of trying to improve on these jams and I used visualisation a lot for this route, especially for the first section (up to the rest), which should actually be relatively straightforward but which I found particularly hard. I really had to take it move by move, only focussing on the current jam and not thinking beyond that. Not even really thinking about doing the whole route, but just getting through the next move.
On my second go of the day, I made it through the first section, to the rest. Something Iโd never done twice in one day before now. At the rest, I was able to clear my mind, I knew the second section like the back of my hand, as Iโd spent many recent nights visualising how Iโd climb it. So, I just let my body do what it knew how to do. I still had the main cruxes ahead of me but I just went at it with nothing really in my mind and the next thing I know Iโve arrived at the rest after the last crux. Just a couple of movements left do do and I didnโt want to fluff it. Now I started to feel a bit of pressure. I had made a choice to protect myself with just a single โfriendโ for this last section, which Iโd placed rather hurridly. Images of this piece ripping and me taking a ground-fall infront of my young kids flashed through my mind momentarily. I managed to block it out and make those last few moves. Iโd done it! Overall, itโs been a really cool journey. The process of building my โcrack-machineโ (with the help of my neighbours), training on it, perfecting my technique and working through the pain barrier to learn something new and climb this iconic route, with my whole family watching, has been pretty amazing!"
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