13 April 2026
Leo Cea, 13, Arco sending report
Leo Cea, with five 9aโs in under his belt, has spent the Easter holiday in Arco where he sent Underground (9a) and Pungitopo (8c+). Back home in Frankenjura the 13-year-old quickly climbed Kawaschuwu (8c+).
โDuring the Christmas holidays of 2025, I visited Arco for the first time โ a place I had heard so much about, with a deep climbing history, and somewhere I had always wanted to experience. Now that I live in Germany, itโs relatively close, which makes projecting there a real possibility.
My first goal was to try Pure Dreaming (8c+/9a) in the Massone Pueblo sector. Itโs a variation of the classic Reiniโs Vibes, first ascended by Adam Ondra in 2018. I was also really inspired knowing that Andrea Chelleris sent it at just 12 years old. Even though I only spent four days there over Christmas, it went quite quickly: I sent it in 3 sessions and a total of 6 attempts. It became my last hard project of 2025.
But my projects in Arco didnโt end there. Together with my family and my coach, I chose Pure Dreaming also because it has an extension that adds the first section of Underground, turning it into a 9a+. That motivated me a lot, since one of my main goals for 2026 is to push my grade further. During that same Christmas trip, I started trying Underground. Although the wall isnโt completely natural โ as itโs an old quarry โ over time it has become a place full of history and incredible lines. Underground is a very special route. I read in an article from Desnivel that, according to Javi Cano, it was the first 9a in Italy, which made it even more motivating for me.
The route is an impressive roof: over 20 meters of steep, very physical climbing with three well-defined crux sections. The first one โ the hardest โ was the most challenging for me: powerful but also extremely precise. Finding my beta wasnโt easy, since the methods most adults use didnโt work well for me because of my height. Still, I was fascinated by the route from the very beginning.
I came back in February to keep working on it, but the conditions didnโt help at all. There was humidity, and several key holds in the crux were wet. Even so, the trip was very valuable: I was able to refine the moves, better understand the line, and go back home motivated to train specifically for the route โ both in the gym and on rock in Frankenjura.
This Easter break felt like the perfect moment to return. The conditions were good, and I felt very well prepared โ both for Underground and Pure Dreaming Plus. And it was incredibleโฆ right after getting out of the car and walking to the crag, I sent Underground on my second attempt of the day. Regarding the grade, while some suggest 8c+/9a, I personally agree more with the original 9a, as also proposed by climbers like Laura Rogora, whose height is closer to mine (144.5 cm tall, 150.5 cm wingspan). During that same trip, I also managed to send two classic routes in the sector that were in good condition: Super Maratona (8b+) on my second go, and X-Large (8c) on my third.
The next day I started trying Pure Dreaming Plus, and it went really well โ I reached the upper crux twice. I felt that, with the days I had left, sending it could be possible, and I was really enjoying climbing this beautiful ~50-meter line. I took a rest day, and when I came back, an Italian climber told me that a key hold had broken at that crux, and that the route had become almost impossible.
I felt a bit frustrated, but after talking it through with my dad and my coach, I decided to change projects and try Pungitopo (8c+), an incredible natural slab in the Red Point Wall sector, first ascended by Adam Ondra in 2022. I was also really motivated knowing that climbers like Laura Rogora and Michaela Kirsch had sent it. I was excited to try something completely different: moving from a powerful, explosive roof to a technical slab on a fully natural line. That made it really fun.
So I dedicated the last days of the trip to Pungitopo. I had read that Ondra described it as one of the most beautiful lines in the area, and it truly is. The grey rock is amazing, very aesthetic, and the moves are extremely precise, requiring balance and full-body tension. A really beautiful route. With that, I completed what I had planned for Arco. It was a very fun and challenging process. Rock climbing is like that โ you have to adapt to circumstances, like the weather or even the possibility of a key hold breaking on your main project. But thatโs exactly what makes it more alive, more uncertain, and also more exciting. Iโm very happy to be achieving what I set out to do together with my family and my coach: building consistency on routes between 8c and 9a across very different styles and rock types โ endurance on classic lines (Era Vella), tufas (Trip Tik Tonik), steep pocket climbing (Vรญctimas Pรฉrez), physical roofs (Underground), powerful finger-intensive routes (Wallstreet), and fully technical slabs (Pungitopo). All of this is helping me develop into a more complete sport climber. Now Iโm really motivated to keep climbing in Frankenjura, and Iโm also planning a trip to Spain this autumn.โ
โDuring the Christmas holidays of 2025, I visited Arco for the first time โ a place I had heard so much about, with a deep climbing history, and somewhere I had always wanted to experience. Now that I live in Germany, itโs relatively close, which makes projecting there a real possibility.
My first goal was to try Pure Dreaming (8c+/9a) in the Massone Pueblo sector. Itโs a variation of the classic Reiniโs Vibes, first ascended by Adam Ondra in 2018. I was also really inspired knowing that Andrea Chelleris sent it at just 12 years old. Even though I only spent four days there over Christmas, it went quite quickly: I sent it in 3 sessions and a total of 6 attempts. It became my last hard project of 2025.
But my projects in Arco didnโt end there. Together with my family and my coach, I chose Pure Dreaming also because it has an extension that adds the first section of Underground, turning it into a 9a+. That motivated me a lot, since one of my main goals for 2026 is to push my grade further. During that same Christmas trip, I started trying Underground. Although the wall isnโt completely natural โ as itโs an old quarry โ over time it has become a place full of history and incredible lines. Underground is a very special route. I read in an article from Desnivel that, according to Javi Cano, it was the first 9a in Italy, which made it even more motivating for me.
The route is an impressive roof: over 20 meters of steep, very physical climbing with three well-defined crux sections. The first one โ the hardest โ was the most challenging for me: powerful but also extremely precise. Finding my beta wasnโt easy, since the methods most adults use didnโt work well for me because of my height. Still, I was fascinated by the route from the very beginning.
I came back in February to keep working on it, but the conditions didnโt help at all. There was humidity, and several key holds in the crux were wet. Even so, the trip was very valuable: I was able to refine the moves, better understand the line, and go back home motivated to train specifically for the route โ both in the gym and on rock in Frankenjura.
This Easter break felt like the perfect moment to return. The conditions were good, and I felt very well prepared โ both for Underground and Pure Dreaming Plus. And it was incredibleโฆ right after getting out of the car and walking to the crag, I sent Underground on my second attempt of the day. Regarding the grade, while some suggest 8c+/9a, I personally agree more with the original 9a, as also proposed by climbers like Laura Rogora, whose height is closer to mine (144.5 cm tall, 150.5 cm wingspan). During that same trip, I also managed to send two classic routes in the sector that were in good condition: Super Maratona (8b+) on my second go, and X-Large (8c) on my third.
The next day I started trying Pure Dreaming Plus, and it went really well โ I reached the upper crux twice. I felt that, with the days I had left, sending it could be possible, and I was really enjoying climbing this beautiful ~50-meter line. I took a rest day, and when I came back, an Italian climber told me that a key hold had broken at that crux, and that the route had become almost impossible.
I felt a bit frustrated, but after talking it through with my dad and my coach, I decided to change projects and try Pungitopo (8c+), an incredible natural slab in the Red Point Wall sector, first ascended by Adam Ondra in 2022. I was also really motivated knowing that climbers like Laura Rogora and Michaela Kirsch had sent it. I was excited to try something completely different: moving from a powerful, explosive roof to a technical slab on a fully natural line. That made it really fun.
So I dedicated the last days of the trip to Pungitopo. I had read that Ondra described it as one of the most beautiful lines in the area, and it truly is. The grey rock is amazing, very aesthetic, and the moves are extremely precise, requiring balance and full-body tension. A really beautiful route. With that, I completed what I had planned for Arco. It was a very fun and challenging process. Rock climbing is like that โ you have to adapt to circumstances, like the weather or even the possibility of a key hold breaking on your main project. But thatโs exactly what makes it more alive, more uncertain, and also more exciting. Iโm very happy to be achieving what I set out to do together with my family and my coach: building consistency on routes between 8c and 9a across very different styles and rock types โ endurance on classic lines (Era Vella), tufas (Trip Tik Tonik), steep pocket climbing (Vรญctimas Pรฉrez), physical roofs (Underground), powerful finger-intensive routes (Wallstreet), and fully technical slabs (Pungitopo). All of this is helping me develop into a more complete sport climber. Now Iโm really motivated to keep climbing in Frankenjura, and Iโm also planning a trip to Spain this autumn.โ
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