The two Americans Michaela Kiersch and Alex Puccio have been at Magic Wood since mid-May and are cracking one classic after the other.
The season in the Swiss bouldering area Magic Wood is in full swing. Strong guys like Giuliano Cameroni, Alex Megos or Sergei Topishko are there and girls are just as strong as the Americans Nina Williams, Michaela Kiersch and Alex Puccio. The latter announced in the past few days the inspection of numerous difficult boulders.
Kiersch in the frenzy of inspection
Already on the second day in the magic forest, Kiersch cracked the first difficult line with Steppenwolf (8B). Three days later it was the famous line on the creek bank, Riverbed, which she successfully climbed. The third difficult line on her tick list, which is also one of the most difficult bouldering ascents of her career, is New Base Line. Kiersch only invested four sessions in the 8B+ rated Bernd Zangerl Classic.
Ticklist by Michaela Kiersch
Puccio (almost) back in his old form after an injury break
Just as impressive as Kiersch's tick list is the route log of 32-year-old American Alex Puccio. Last year she could barely lift her left arm and took a two and a half month break from climbing due to an injury. After a cautious build-up, there was a setback from which Puccio again had to recover.
Until recently, it was anyone's guess whether she would even be able to climb seriously in Switzerland. But now it is clear that she is "back in the game". Even if she is not where she would like to be in her own words, her achievement is more than impressive. Here is Puccio's ticklist.
Ticklist by Alex Puccio
- Piranhas (7C+)
- Steppenwolf (8B)
- The Bizarre Ride (8A+)
- Left Hand of Darkness (8A+)
- Body Count (8A+)
- Bomb is the Explosion (8A, second try)
New Line on Riverbed Block: Bloom (7C+)
The third in the group, Nina Williams, announced a few hours ago a first ascent on the Riverbed block. The new creation begins analogous to the start of Riverbed, then pulls up along the edge of the roof along the white rock carving. Williams rates the boulder 7C+ and calls the line "Bloom".
Nina Williams on the first ascent of Bloom (7C+) in Magic Wood
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Credits: Cover picture Nina Williams