Sportroccia was the very first international

climbing competition Competition climbing is a form of regulated rock-climbing competition held indoors on purpose-built artificial climbing walls (earlier versions were held on external natural rock surfaces). The three competition climbing disciplines are lead c ...

. Four annual Sportroccia editions were held in 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1989, in the village of

Bardonecchia Bardonecchia (; ; , ) is an Italian town and ''comune'' located in the Metropolitan City of Turin, in the Piedmont region, in the western part of Susa Valley. It grew out of a small village with the works for the Fréjus Rail Tunnel, the first c ...

and

Arco Arco may refer to: Places * Arco, Trentino, a town in Trentino, Italy * Arco, Idaho, in the United States * Arco, Minnesota, a city in the United States * ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California, home of the Sacramento Kings Companies * ARCO (b ...

, Italy.

History

The first edition of Sportroccia was organized in 1985 on the initiative of Andrea Mellano, a strong climber of the '60s and a member of the Italian Academic Alpine Club, and the journalist and writer Emmanuel Cassara. The jury was composed of

Riccardo Cassin Riccardo Cassin (2 January 19096 August 2009) was an Italian Mountaineering, mountaineer, developer of Climbing equipment, mountaineering equipment and author, and an important figure in the history of rock climbing, alpine climbing and big wall ...

, Oscar Soravito,

Maurizio Zanolla Maurizio "Manolo" Zanolla (born in Feltre, 16 February 1958) is an Italian rock climber and mountaineer, and a pioneer of sport climbing in Italy during the 1980s and 1990s. Climbing career Manolo came to international attention with his free sol ...

and Heinz Mariacher. The competition was contested on the Parete dei Militi (Wall of the Soldiers) in Valle Stretta, near Bardonecchia. The fact that the races were held on the rock and not on artificial walls put the organizers in the vanguard of several issues that eventually led to moving climbing competitions to artificial walls only. * In 1985 and 1986, Sportroccia was also used to proclaim the Italian champion, giving the title to the best Italian athletes in the competition. * In 1986, the event was divided into two stages: the first in Arco on the wall of Colodri, and the second in Bardonecchia. * In 1987, Sportroccia gave way for the first time to

Rock Master Rock Master is an international competition climbing event that is held every year in Arco, Italy. The event takes place in two rounds: the first is an on-sight session and the second is called "after work". The final classification is given by ...

in Arco, but the event was still held on the rock, not yet on an artificial wall. * In 1988 began the artificial wall era. * In 1989 the competition became a stage of the newly formed World Cup of rock climbing. * In 2005, during the annual events, a conference was held in Bardonecchia, called "1985-2005 Sportroccia twenty years after, the future of sport climbing."

Editions

Sportroccia 85

The competition was held from July 5 to 7. Best Italian (men): Roberto Bassi (7th), Andrea Gallo (8th).

Sportroccia 86

The competition was held from July 11 to 13. Only

Patrick Edlinger Patrick Edlinger (15 June 1960 – 16 November 2012) was a professional French rock climber. Edlinger is considered a pioneer and a legend of sport climbing. He was the second-ever climber in history to ascend routes of grade with ''Nymphodal ...

finished the final climb, which was named ''Caduta degli dei'', 7c+ ("Damned"). Best Italian: Roberto Bassi (men) (10th) and Rosanna Manfrini (women).

Sportroccia 88

The competition was held from July 15 to 17.

Sportroccia 89

The competition was held from July 14 to 16. The 1989 edition of Sportroccia also represents the third stage of the Lead Climbing World Cup, 1989. Best Italian: Nicola Sartori (men) (4th).