05 Dec Interview: Marzio Nardi

A very large area and a motivated group of climbers headed by “brush Messi”. Please, forgive this comparison with soccer but Marzio Nardi is really one of the most important promoter of bouldering in Italy and this from tens of years. Now, with his friends, discovered and exploited some new spots on Elba Island, Tyrrhenian Sea, off the coast of Tuscany and through our interview, try to know more details about this fantastic and interesting place.
“On Elba Island is possible to climb”, when did you listen this words the first time?
More or less 15 years ago, when after a low interest period, the activity to search stones was more and more diffused also in Italy. The end of ’90 was a fantastic period for the bouldering passionate, like discover the hot water to wash after using cold torrents. At the beginning of those years, the must was to find a completely smooth wall and to hollow the holds but then a new creative wave was embraced with bouldering, searching and climbing new really “lines”. It was a new way to see.
Did  you find what expected, more or less?
I found exactly what I thought. A virgil land where to develop this passion. Something was did some time ago by local climbers from Tuscan but wa wanted to find stones. This is the main aspect of RockSlave XP: new things. And not necessarily a new world mecca.
During your “expeditions”, you search not only stones. What do you want also?
I search, nay, we search that smell adventure sense that came from this sort of experience, only for a small stone also. The research, the discovery and the expression of creativity. We don’t need very big things but only the will to do and to get involved going to unknown spaces. We did also in Valli di Lanzo, Piedmont, where we swallowed up by vastness oh that place. This is a simply aspect but also interesting and stimulant.
What kind of rock is it and what style? Where are these boulders?
For the part of island we explored, the rock is a very carved rock and climbing is varies. We dedicated ourselves to most beautiful lines, our “must”, for aesthetic and height. We climbed in the west part of Elba, near Marciana, where Monte Capanne is over the sea.
And for food and sleep?
Absolutely no one problems. You are on Elba, and this island lives thanks tourism, so you find easy a place where eat and sleep.
How many expeditions you did and who is the main promoter?
The XP has become reality thanks to Lorenzo Bona (videomaker) that has a home on Elba, the basecamp during our stays. Also Luca Andreaozzi, the rock&roll soul of our team, was a figure very important that climbed here when he was young. Lorenzo, Luca and myself did a scouting at the end of September to locate the sector and then returned to start with project.
How is has changed the scene of bouldering in Italy?
There are more and more passionate respect 15 years ago. At that time, a lot of persons thought that boulder was only a trend, exploited by companies for business. Today, I can say that is not the actual situation. Bouldering is a reality and for a large number of climber is the first step into climbing. It’s also an expanding activity, like Elba. There are also a lot of spot to discovey.


Interview by Stefano Michelin