Name: Gabriele Moroni
DOB: -/-/-
Interview By: Ben Moon

Gabriele Moroni is a 19 year old climber from Northern Italy who first started climbing the same year I stopped doing routes, in 1996! Since then he has progressed quickly through the grades redpointing 8c+, bouldering up to 8b and regularly finishing in the top 10 in comps. He doesn’t have a favourite style of climbing, he “…just loves to climb on anything!” That’s the attitude we like at Moonclimbing.

BM When and where did you start climbing?
GM I started climbing in 1996 in my hometown Novara (North-West of Italy) trying a basic course for kids in a climbing gym.

BM Do you have a favorite style of climbing (traditional, sport, bouldering etc)?
GM I don’t have a favourite style...I just love to climb on anything! But usually I do more bouldering in fall/winter and more sport climbing in the warmer seasons.

BM What would be your top route recommendations in Italy?
GM There are too much good routes in Italy on every range of difficulty. So far my “favourites hard” are:
-Lucky Man 8c at Gressoney
-Hyaena 8b/+ at Finale (1986)
-Kendo 8b at San Nicolò (1987)
-Pastrubale 8a+ Pian Bernardo (first ascent)
-Alchimista Solitario 8a Alagna (first ascent)

BM And abroad?
GM If you like granite a must is Occitane 8c by Dave Graham in Ticino (I didn’t send it yet), a beautiful crimpy line. If you like limestone La Mission 8a+/b is for me one of the best routes I did at Buoux. In the easier grades I think TCF and Rose de Sables (both 7a at Buoux) are very very good.

BM What would be your top boulder problem recommendations in Italy?
GM There aren’t many spots in north of Italy but fortunately Switzerland is nearby. Meschia in South of Italy sounds good but I’ve never been there. Val di Mello is quite good but the rock is very sharp! Maybe the best problem I did in Italy is there and it’s called Nel Bianco 7c+.

BM And abroad?
GM My favorite bouldering area is Ticino with all its spots. The quality of the rock is super good and there are lots of problems hard and easy on each style. I really enjoyed to climb:
-Frocio Multiplo 6c Cresciano
-Slopey Traverse 7b Cresciano
-Molonk 7c Brione
-Kirk Windstein 8a/a+ Cresciano
-Ganymede Takeover 8b Brione

If you want to travel in USA I suggest to visit Hueco and Bishop. Also Joshua Tree is amazing . The best are:
-Stem Gem V5 Joshua Tree
-Saigon V6 Buttermilks
-Sharma Traverse V10 Buttermilks
-Dark Age V11 Hueco
-Mandala V12 Buttermilks
-Nagual V13 Hueco (maybe the best problem I’ve done)

BM How often do you climb?
GM I climb 3/4 days on my home wall and on Sunday I go to climb outside.

BM How often do you train and for how many hours per session?
GM Depends if I have some projects or comps but usually I have 2/3 hours sessions.

BM Where do you train?
GM I train on my own board at my grandparent’s house and sometimes I go to test my form at different climbing gyms in Novara or Turin.

BM What kind of training do you do?
GM When I’m into sport climbing I do 30/50moves route sessions to get endurance. During winter or when I’ve bouldering comps I do lots of competition style problems (20moves at most) and I try to work on my weaknesses (big moves, campus moves etc.)

BM Your top training tip or tips?
GM If you want to get a goal or realize a dream you always have to be motivated and be focused on your objective. This is the secret of a good job.

BM Your best achievement?
GM Doing my first 7a onsight was a big achievement. I was about 11years old and I had a fight to get the chain because the moves were huge for a 140cm kid and the route was very steep and physical.

BM Your goals for 2006?
GM There are three routes I really want to do this year:
- Underground 8c+/9a Arco
- Zauberfee 8c+ Arco
- Bah Bah Black Sheep 8c+ Ceuse

And some boulder problems too: Vecchia Lione 8b at Brione, my Project in the alpine valley of Alagna and perhaps even Dreamtime during the next bouldering season.