Melloblocco, international bouldering meeting.
Val di Mello (So), 8 and 9 May 2004

On Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 May, in Val di Mello will take place the first edition of Melloblocco, an international bouldering meeting open to all enthusiasts of this category. The event has been organized by the Collegio Guide Alpine della Lombardia, and should become a meeting of passionates, who share the same love for bouldering, climbing on smaller rocks. It is a unique event in its kind, a lot of participants are expected and, for the first time in the history of modern bouldering, we are going to see at the same time the world’s best specialists, like Mauro Calibani, Chris Sharma, Dave Graham and many more.
Two competition days, for professionals and not. More than hundred problems, prepared by the local specialist Simone Pedeferri, from 5c to 8b. Big party on Saturday night, with music and movies, at the Centro Polifunzionale della Montagna of Filorera. La Sportiva, technical sponsor of the event, will be there with a booth, where the new model Venom will be available for testing, this is the new climbing shoe designed with the goal to satisfy best the requirements of modern bouldering.
Oscar Durbiano

Melloblocco 2004
Bouldering will play the main role in the international meeting on 8 and 9 May 2004, organized by the Collegio Regionale Guide Alpine Lombardia in Val di Mello, Italy, Sondrio province, about 140 kilometers north of Milan. The name of the event reminds the original denomination of “sassismo”, today universally known as “bouldering” that found its Italian roots exactly in Val di Mello in the Seventies.
The participants, who will find accommodation in the several tourist structures of the area, will try together the about hundred problems from 5c to 8a+, on the numerous boulders scattered on the meadows of the wonderful Val di Mello, a magnificent natural scenery.
The problems, indicated on a map provided to each participant, will be some of the historical problems of the “Sassisti” and also new problems, set by the strong local climber Simone Pedeferri. The climbers who will succeed in solving the hardest problems (four for the men and two reserved to the women), will also split a prize money, while for all the others there will be a lottery of climbing equipment.
The party on Saturday night, with deejay, music, bouldering, climbing and mountain videos projected on a maxi screen, will be a pleasant friendly gathering.

Motivations
With this event the Alpine Guides of Lombardia want to contact the young generations of the recent years. The deep underlying reason is the awareness and the desire to continue to be the supporters of the cultural tissue of the mountains. A culture that today, like yesterday, is also made of mountaineering and sportive activities.
Melloblocco is an idea and is organized by the Alpine Guides of Lombardia.
“Melloblocco, international bouldering meeting” is supported by the Region Lombardia (Ass. Giovani Sport e Pari opportunità), by ICC (International Council for Competition Climbing), by Comunità Montana of Valtellina, by Provincia di Sondrio, by Comune of Valmasino and by Consorzio Porte di Valtellina. Also some specialized companies like La Sportiva, Petzl and the magazine Pareti are contributing to the success of the event.

Rules
Participation is open for everybody.
Obligatory early registration c/o Collegio Guide Alpine Lombardia, per fax or Email, reporting name, family name and birth date. Minimum age to participate: 18 years.
For the early registration, please contact:
- Collegio Regionale Guide Alpine Lombardia:
fax 030/2549811,
email: collegioregionale@guidealpine.lombardia.it
- Organization office, open from Friday, 7 May c/o Centro Polifunzionale della Montagna (Filorera), tel. 0342/640004.
The registration will become definitive when the climber gets his competition package at the Organization office, starting at 9 AM on Saturday 8 May and pays the entry fee (5 Euro).
The event will take place also in case of adverse meteorological condition (please take the proper equipment).
The partecipants must provide for their own crash pads. The Organization isn’t liable for possible accidents or injuries of the participants.
The reservation of the hotels supporting the event has to be made by the participants themselves, contacting the Consorzio Porte di Valtellina:
tel. 0039-0342-601140
fax 0039-0342-619063
www.portedivaltellina.it

Program
Saturday 8 May
09.00 AM Meeting-place c/o Organization Office (Centro Polifunzionale della Montagna – Filorera, registration (entry fee Euro 5), handing over of the competition package.
10.30 AM Free shuttle bus to the parking lot of Val di Mello, continuous traveling schedule.
11.00 AM - 04.00 PM Climbing on the boulders described on the map included in the competition package. At the base of the hardest problems with prize money, highlighted on the map, there will be a judge who will write down the starting number of the ones who solve the problems.
10.00 PM Party c/o Centro Polifunzionale della Montagna with deejay, music and movies.

Sunday 9 May
10.00 AM - 03.00 PM Free shuttle bus to the parking lot of Val di Mello, with continuous traveling schedule and climbing on the boulders described on the map.
05.00 PM End of the event and speech of the authorities c/o Centro Polifunzionale della Montagna. Award of the prizes to the participants who fired the hardest problems and lottery of climbing equipment among the others.

Where is the place
The Centro Polifunzionale della Montagna is in Valtellina, in the village Filorera, Valmasino department, Sondrio province.

How to get there
From MILAN (total distance 125 km.). Take speedway 36 from Viale Fulvio Testi in direction Lecco; the speedway passes Lecco and continues in direction Sondrio.
After about 95 km, at the end of the speedway 36 (Colico village), continue on state road 38 in direction Sondrio. After Morbegno, after about 7 km, near the village Ardenno, follow the diversion to Valmasino (state road 404).
After about 8 km of mountain road, pass the Cataeggio village and reach Filorera. Just before the end of the village, follow the signs to Predarossa. 100 meters after the start of the diversion, on the left, you will find the Centro Polifunzionale della Montagna.

From TURIN (total distance 260 km): highway A4 direction Milano; in Milano, take the West ring-road direction Venice and get out at exit Viale Zara. From here follow our indications from Milan.

From GENOA (total distance 275 km):
Highway A7 direction Milan; in Milan, take the West ring-road direction Venice and get out at exit Viale Zara. From here follow our indications from Milan.

From BOLOGNA (total distance 335 km):
Highway A1 direction Milan; in Milan, take the West ring-road direction Venice and get out at exit Viale Zara. From here follow our indications from Milan.

From VENICE (total distance 330 km):
Highway A4 direction Milan; in Milan, take the East ring-road, direction Laghi and get out at exit Viale Zara. From here follow our indications from Milan.