Stefano Ghisolfi FA’s another two 9a’s in Arco

Stefano Ghisolfi, who previously has made the FA of eleven 9a to 9b+ in Arco, has done the FA of Escaladur (9a) in Arco. Alfredo Webber bolted it and it took Stefano some eight sessions to complete his 54th 9a or beyond. (c) Finn Stack

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I started trying this route after I sent Excalibur (9b+). It is in the left corner of Excalibur following the arete, 15 meter long. It is overhanging and has small holds, and technical with kneebars as part of the moves, but no rest. It is continuous and pumpy at the end with a hard crux. In the beginning, we thought it was 8c+ but then we realized it is probably 9a.

The next day the 31-year-old Italian did the FA of Sit Lives (9a). ”Low start of Sid Lives (8c+), starting from the ground, adds few more moves and 2 hard clipping, one is probably the hardest clip ever.”

Could you give us more details about the new beginning and the intense clip?
The original route starts in a rock pile with 2 preclipped draws. The new one starts standing on the ground with just the very first clipped, adding 4 moves and 2 hard clips (the first two that were preclipped in the original route). For the low start you cannot start with the same preclipped cause if you fall in the start you swing and hit the wall behind, so it is necessary to clip them while climbing. The second clip is one of the hardest ever, probably around 7B+ boulder move. You can skip it but if you fall you go 100% on the ground.