Elisa Lauretano sends Toy Boy (8A+)

Elisa Lauretano, who has sent ten 8A’s over the last year, has done Toy Boy (8A+) in Val di Mello.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and your climbing background?
I've been climbing all my life but for the last 4 years I've been devoting myself more to bouldering on rock, which I have discovered to be my true passion! Since then I've started watching a lot of bouldering videos to [help] try out [climbs] around Italy and Switzerland. As soon as I saw the Toy Boy, something inside me clicks! I absolutely wanted to climb that crack, for me who loves crimps it was something incredible.

Last year we went to Val Masino for the first time and after finding the line I discovered that it was even more beautiful! You need strong fingers, but it's a very physical and endurance boulder. Two scattered attempts over a period of months were not enough for me to get the single [moves] right. This weekend we decided to go up to the valley, everything was quite wet, so I put my hands back on Toy boy and unexpectedly I sorted out all the singles!