Maurizio Zanolla Explained

Maurizio Zanolla
Nickname:	Manolo
Birth Date:	16 February 1958
Occupation:	Mountain guide, rock climber
Updated:	7 April 2023

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 solos in the Dolomites. In 1986, he became one of the first Italians to climb a route of grade with l'Ultimo Movimento in Totoga in the Pale di San Martino. In 1992, he became one of the first Italians to free solo a grade route, with Masala Dosa on the wall of "San Silvestro" in 1992. In 1981, with Alessandro Gogna, he climbed the Aguglia of Goloritzè in Sardinia, initiating the original development of the Selvaggio Blu trekking route.

Notable ascents

• :
  • Bimbaluna – Saint-Loup (SUI) – 20 January 2008. Repeat of Fred Nicole's 2004 route; Manolo was almost 50 at the time and the hardest routes in the world were only at 9a+/b.^[1]
• :
  • Eternit – Vette Feltrine/Baule (ITA) – 24 August 2009. First ascent; continuation of O ce l'hai...^[2]
  • – Saint-Loup (SUI) – 2006. Repeat of Fred Nicole's 1993 route.^[1]
• :
  • Roby Present – Val Noana (ITA) – 24 March 2012. First ascent; dedicated to Roberto Bassi.^[3]

• • Eroi Fragili – Val Noana (ITA) – 5 March 2011. First ascent
  • Stramonio – Val Noana (ITA) – 10 October 2010. First ascent
  • Thin ice – Terlago (ITA) – 25 April 2009. Route freed by Nico Favresse, 2007
  • El sior Favonio – Fonzaso (ITA) – 2006. First ascent
  • Diabloluna – Fonzaso (ITA) – 2006
  • L'Arte di Salire in Alto – Celva (ITA) – 2002. Rare repeat of Rolando Larcher's first-ever Italian 8c route from 1992.^[4]
  • The Dream – Val Noana (ITA) – October 1991. First ascent
• :
  • Appigli Ridicoli – Vette Feltrine/Baule (ITA) – 1990. First ascent; Manulo reclimbed it in 2001 without using his original drilled one-finger pocket hold, and regraded it to over 8c (now considered 9a).^[5]
  • Malvasia – Dvigrad (CRO) – 1988. First ascent; now considered 8c+ after some of the holds broke.^{[6] [7]}
  • Il Maratoneta – Paklenica (CRO) – 1987. First ascent, and only two yeaars after the first-ever 8b+.^[8]
• :
  • O ce l'hai… o ne hai bisogno – Vette Feltrine/Baule (ITA) – 1990
  • Ultimo Movimento – Totoga (ITA) – 1986. First ascent and first-ever in Italy.^[9]
• :
  • Terminator – Totoga (ITA) – 1985. First ascent and first-ever in Italy.^[10]
• :
  • Il Mattino dei Maghi – Totoga (ITA) – 1981. First ascent, and possibly one of the earliest 7c+ routes.^[11]

• Rock and Blues, Kalymnos (GRE) – 19 June 2009. Manolo was 51 at the time.^[12]
• La Pista, Arco – 1989.
• La Fissure Serge (7c+), Buoux – 1988.

• Masala Dosa in Totoga, in San Silvestro cliff – 1992.
• La Gatta, Mount Totoga – 1990.

Bibliography

• Book: Zanolla, Maurizio "Manolo" . Eravamo immortali ("We were immortal") . . April 2018. 978-8891517579 .
• Book: Zak, Heinz . Rock Stars: World's Best Free Climbers . Cordee . November 1996 . 978-3763370443.

See also

• List of grade milestones in rock climbing

Extermal links

• Manolo: climbing and informed choices, PlanetMountain (2014)

Notes and References

1. Web site: UKClimbing . 48 year old Maurizio "Manolo" Zanolla climbs 9a/+ . 22 January 2008 . 7 April 2023 . Mick . Ryan.
2. Web site: PlanetMountain . Maurizio, Manolo, Mago . 6 October 2010 . 7 April 2023 . Andrea . Gallo.
3. Web site: PlanetMountain . 28 March 2012 . 7 April 2023 . Manolo and Roby Present, new climb in Val Noana.
4. Web site: PlanetMountain . Gioele Piffer (15) repeats L’Arte di salire in alto, historic Rolando Larcher 8c at Celva. 12 January 2022 . 7 April 2023 .
5. Web site: PlanetMountain . Maurizio ‘Manolo’ Zanolla climbs vertical 8c. 6 December 2001 . 7 April 2023 .
6. Web site: PlanetMountain . Malvasia 22 years later... the first repeat by Cody Roth and the recollections of Manolo . 1 January 2011. 7 April 2023.
7. Web site: PlanetMountain . Alessandro Zeni repeats Malvazija at Dvigrad in Croatia . 9 March 2023 . 7 April 2023.
8. Web site: PlanetMountain . Il Maratoneta, third repeat by Ivan Lisica-Lija and a little history about this famous Manolo climb . 31 January 2013 . 7 April 2023 . Vinicio . Stefanello.
9. Web site: PlanetMountain . Alessandro Zeni repeats Ultimo Movimento by Manolo at Totoga . 28 October 2015 . 7 April 2023 . Alessandro . Zeni.
10. Web site: PlanetMountain . Lines Of Legends ft. Terminator at Totoga by Manolo. 12 July 2021 . 7 April 2023 .
11. Web site: PlanetMountain . Manolo, climbing and Il Mattino dei Maghi: first repeat in 35 years . 19 December 2016 . 7 April 2023 . Vinicio . Stefanello.
12. Web site: PlanetMountain . Manolo 8b+ on-sight at Kalymnos . 25 June 2009 . 8 April 2023 . Vinicio . Stefanello.