Though summer is still in the air in our little corner of Europe, it’s a good time to start thinking about autumn and winter climbing in Greece. In the next months we will have news about new crags in Kyparissi, but before that, we will be in gorgeous Leonidio for the 1st Leonidio Climbing Festival on 10-13 November, 2016, featuring climbers Sachi Amma, Claude Remy, and possibly Angy Eiter. Leonidio is on the southeast coast of Greece, and it is hands-down one of the best winter climbing destinations in Europe. It now features more than 800 sport routes, some of which were rebolted earlier this year, amidst stunning mountain and sea backdrops. More info about the Leonidio Climbing Festival plus a detailed list of rebolted routes below.
Leonidio Climbing Festival, 10-13 November 2016
The first official climbing festival in Leonidio is organized by the local authorities, i.e. the Municipality of South Kynouria and the Region of Peloponnese. Sachi Amma and Claude Remy will be there, and we are waiting to hear if Angy Eiter will attend also. Here’s the festival program:
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Thursday, November 10th
17:00–22:00 Welcome, registration, and handout of informational materials
Friday, November 11th
08:00-09:00 Yoga
09:00-10:00 Coffee break
10:00 Walking/hiking in some of the greatest traditional paths of the Leonidio area
18:00 Pilates matwork – Zumba
19:00 Traditional music and dance
19:30 Dinner buffet with local delicacies and wine
20:30 Presentation by Claude Remy
21:30 Film projection
Saturday, November 12th
07:30 – 08:30 Yoga
08:30 – 09:00 Coffee break
09:00 Climbing Marathon or free climbing / Award Ceremony for Climbing Marathon winners and the festival’s special guests at the “Fabbrica Culture”Conference Center
20:30 Greeting from local authorities / Presentations by Aris Theodoropoulos and famous climbers
21:30 Party with live music, drinks and snacks
Sunday, November 13th
08:00 -09:00 Yoga
09:00 – 10:00 Coffee break
10:00 Watch a special guest trying some very hard tricks!
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Route rebolting in Leonidio, spring 2016
In spring of 2016 the Municipality of South Kynouria funded a the rebolting of selected routes across various sectors. The focus was mainly on very popular routes with a lot of ascents, or on routes of great quality and location which are rarely climbed because of poor bolting. The priority was to correct routes with bad placement of the first two or three bolts, where the risk of hitting the deck in case of a fall was imminent. Several bad-quality lower-offs were also replaced. The drill work was done by climbers George Kopalides, Yiannis Torelli and Simon Montmory under the supervision of mountain guide Aris Theodoropoulos.
Furthermore, many missing route names at popular sectors were marked discreetly in blue.
At sector Elona, one of Leonidio’s star crags, three new routes were added:
Kopakabana 7c 30m (G. Kopalides, S. Montmory)
Kopakabana Ext 8b 37m (Y. Torelli)
Kneebaropoulos 7a 30m (A Theodoropoulos, G. Kopalides)
We hope this contributes to the safety of the routes in Leonidio, one of the most beautiful parts of Greece still brimming with potential.
Here’s a list of rebolted routes by sector:
ELONA
Diet dope 7b (2 bolts)
Goliath 1st part. 7c+ (1 bolt + lower-off)
Goliath 8b (lower-off)
Eisvoleas 7c (lower-off)
On the edge ? (lower-off)
Free Fall ? (12 bolts + 2 lower-offs)
Jolly Jump 8a+ (lower-off)
Jolly Jump extension ? (3 bolts + lower-off)
Paranyhida ? (3 lower-offs + 8 bolts)
Lolly Pope 7a+ (10 bolts + lower-off)
LA MAISON DES CHÈVRES
Three Billy Goats Gruff 8b (lower-off)
La Chèvre de Mr Seguin 8a (lower-off)
Pan 7c (lower-off)
Amalthée 7c (lower-off)
Capricorn 9a (lower-off)
Pantysgawn 8c? (lower-off)
Popo 8a (lower-off)
Xmas 7c (4 bolts)
ADRSPACH WALL
Řecký Bonzák 6b (2 bolts + lower-off)
Mythos 7a (lower-off)
Vino Tinto 7a+ (lower-off)
Orange Express 6c+ (6 bolts + lower-off)
Adršpach Party 7b (3 bolts+ lower-off)
Yellow Submarine 7a (2 bolts)
Ahoi 8a (2 bolts + lower-off)
99 Bolts 6b (lower-off)
Rolling Stone ? (lower-off)
LIMERI
Acrovatis 7c+ (3 bolts)
Paraplanisi 7c+ (2 bolts)
Clika 7c+ (2 bolts)
Reclama 7c? (1 bolt)
Symmoria ? (1 bolt)
Kaour Ekokiate 7a+ (5 bolts)
HADA
Tamburlo Project (lower-off)
Gastone Duck 6c (3 bolts)
Dida 7a+/b (5 bolts)
La Moya 7b (1 bolt)
SAINT NICHOLAS SINTZA
Kopsi tou Stavrou ? (14 bolts +1 intermediate lower-off)
Taraxippus 6b+ (13 bolts + lower-off)
Je M’en Fous 6c (10 bolts)
Leptospirosis 7c (8 bolts + lower-off)
Archgoat 7a (13 bolts)
Apo Michanis Theos (10 bolts)
Kaour Ekokiate 7b (9 bolts + lower-off)
Κrampus 8a (5 bolts)
Folling stones ? (5 bolts + lower-off)
MIKRI SINTZA
Kadmos 8a? (2 bolts)
Gripas 7c+ (5 bolts + lower-off)
Buru – Buru 7c (5 bolts + lower-off)
TWIN CAVES
Vromika Myala 7a+ (4 bolts)
Fata Morgana 7c+ (1 bolt)
BALCONY
Kanena “FA” ya ton Mikro Ext 7c (2 bolts)
Colonize 7b+/c (2 bolts)
Vaskina Highway 7a+ (4 bolts)
Epistegasma 7a (1 bolt)
Anemodouri 7b+ (2 bolts)
Soap Opera 7c? (2 bolts)
Additionally, 15 bolts and a fixed rope were installed for the safety of climbers on the exposed balcony at the base of the routes.
MAD WALL
Paparouna 6b (3 bolts)
Kolotouba 6b (2 bolts)
Happy time 6a (2 bolts)
B2 6b+ (7 bolts)
Aerostato 6b (2 bolts)
Koukoutsi 6a (1 bolt)
MARS
Snickers 7b+ (2 bolts + lower-off)
Humidity Lesson 7c+ (lower-off)
Speckschüttel Dyno 7c+ (lower-off)
Boubouki 6b+ (3 bolts)
Boubouki Ext 7a+ (lower-off)
Pontiki sto Tiri 6b+ (4 bolts)
Pontiki sto Tiri Ext 7b (lower-off)
Spaceman Spiff 6c (lower-off)
Spaceman Spiff Ext 7b (lower-off)
Mystère et Boule de Gomme 6c+ (lower-off + 2 bolts)
Mystère et Boule de Gomme Ext 7b+ (lower-off)
Chuck Notis 7a+ (1 bolt)
Chuck Notis Extension 7c (lower-off)
Chuck Notis Extension #2 8a (lower-off)
Lost in Space 7c+ (8 bolts + 2 lower-offs)
Oeil de biche 7c+ (lower-off)
Oeil de boeuf 8a (lower-off)
