Cody Roth (39) repeats Corvo Morto (8c+/9a)

Cody Roth has repeated Laura Rogora's Corvo Morto (8c+/9a) in Ferentillo. When he was 19, he made it into a World Cup final, and over the years the American has FA'd a 9a+, flashed 8b+, greenpointed 8b+ and bouldered up to 8B. Just a few weeks prior, he also did Solitary Souls (8c+).

"Corvo Morto combines two 8c's, Il Corvo (The Crow) and Die Hard, two regionally historic lines from sport climbing's dark age of 1994 (also the year I started climbing). I did Corvo a year ago and Die Hard on Christmas day. To be honest, Corvo Morto wasn't on my radar but my wife and I were in the area for a truffle festival and with the weather being colder than we expected the conditions were good for Gabbio (the sector this climb is at). If you've already done Corvo and Die Hard then you have a pretty massive "home-field advantage" on this one. The connection move is hard and I broke a foot, which made it a little tougher, but it's mainly just a question of having that extra bit of fitness. After checking out the connection move and applying a pretty creative sequence, it took me four further tries. Credit to Laura for reimagining these two as it makes for just over 30 moves with very little opportunity to rest. The aesthetics are low but the flow (as well as the beauty of the place) is high."

What does climbing look like for you nowadays and how is it to be peaking at age 39?
I'm not sure if I'm peaking... I'd say I've managed to adapt and not get much worse thus far with age, while everyone around me and younger than me has gotten better! I climbed my first 8c (assuming it hasn't been downgraded) when I was 17. In retrospect, I probably could have climbed more 9a's when I was in my 20's had I been less of a raging bull. I didn't really understand tactics and I didn't have much patience at that time. I also lacked the financial resources and independence that I have now, which makes it a lot easier for me to climb as I want without feeling any extra distraction or worry. I don't regret experiencing it, but I'm happy to not feel that extra pressure and angst that I felt at times in my 20s when I was trying sustain myself through climbing.

It's a bit of a relief knowing now that any climb that I do, or don't do, doesn't change much of anything; and doesn't change my worth as a person, for better or for worse. As far as what climbing looks like for me nowadays, I try to climb at least two times a week, three whenever possible. I climb pretty much only on rock, I do less than 10 gym sessions in a year. I wouldn't mind doing more but it's hard for me to fit in, alongside my work, other hobbies and desire to be social. I hangboard a couple times a week (I just started doing weighted hangs this winter) and I use a rowing machine and run here and there. Over the last year I've also gotten really into white water paddle boarding. I spend a couple days a week doing that or surfing a standing wave near our condo in Arco. There's times when it bangs me up and makes the next day climbing challenging, but it helps my overall physical and mental fitness.

Since moving to Italy, four years ago, I've also made it a point to not limit my climbing to trying just one project. Zeroing in on one climb I've found kills my fitness and slows down my progress. I've found I do much better and enjoy climbing more if I have a couple things going at any given time plus days where I onsight climb as well as casual sessions with my wife where we set up top ropes on a couple of climbs and just playfully run laps.