Matteo Gambaro, 50, does Prima Classe (9a)

Matteo Gambaro, who last year sent his seventh 9a, has completed Prima Classe (9a) in La Stazione, after giving it at least 50 tries over more than 20 days. ”Infinity tries🙏”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I started trying this beautiful line this spring. It's a completely natural route, very overhanging and on small, often oblique and awkward holds, requiring a lot of finger strength, technique, and good body tension to stay in position. At first, I struggled even just doing the individual moves, and honestly, I was thinking more about training on the route than about a future ascent.

Little by little, I refined my technique and found my beta by trying the route with friends, and I started training specifically at home on my campus board. I worked the route, trying to link the central section, which is the most intense (about 25 moves). After many days, I succeeded, but trying it from the ground, the first 10 meters, which were easier, were enough to make me fall near the top of the route.

The autumnal conditions helped me a lot, even though this year's early cold was already bothersome for size 50 fingers. After getting very close a week ago, I returned convinced I'd climb it, but it was cloudy and cold, and I couldn't improve. Finally, Monday was the right day with perfect conditions, and everything went perfectly.

At age 50, do you need another strategy working and doing a 9a compared to ten years ago?
Yes… I need to be more organized, climb less, but with more focus. I'm bolting a new big sector, but this summer I bolted less than I wanted to avoid burning myself out. 😉 I still have to work for another 10 years, and sometimes I feel tired… 10 years ago, I had more energy than I do now. I can still improve, but I need to rest more and do shorter, more focused power sessions. At the crag, I should try the route just a few times and focus on finding all the beta to climb it more efficiently.