Climbing

Josune Bereziartu - Pro Blog 7


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Photo by Rikar Otegi Collection

RICCARDO CASSIN 

I usually don’t drink coffee, I admit that I like it a lot, but when I go climbing or training it makes me feel shakey. So, not good feelings for pushing myself.

A few days ago I went to Lecco in Italy. I admit, it is always a pleasure to visit this country. The first thing I do when I am here is visit a coffee shop and try one of the biggest pleasure you can do there, drink an espresso. Yes rules are there to sometimes break, and in Italy there's a pure culture about coffee. Inside of that little cup, there’s a short, dark, and tasty brew that is a about culture and living style.

Riccardo Cassin Foundation invited me to a short conference to tell my point of view about women and mountain, in the cultural event “Mountain and Philosophy.” After this, I had to bring a slide show about my climbing, routes, experiences, etc.

Photo by Rikar Otegi

I had the great privilege to be invited by Riccardo Cassin, to have a lunch with him and some familiars and friends before the afternoon event.

Hey guys, this legendary alpinist is 98 years old, but his mind is young. Unfortunately, physically he's not as good as his mind wants him to be. As I told before it was such a big privilege for me to stay with this mythical person. I will keep the emotional moments in my heart forever. I liked looking at his clear and intense eyes, because it was enough to imagine lots of mountains, routes, big experiences, and adventures (as real as an image on a TV screen).

 
Photo by Rikar Otegi

We spoke about his legendary climbing: The Torre Triestre Classical Route, McKinley's Cassin Spur, his deception on the K2 mountain, the Walker Spur in the Grandes Jorasses. Pure alpinist historical moments, oh, yeah. His philosophy of how to afford a climbing, very simple: just take a look to the mountain and go ahead. PURE AND SIMPLE. They were unimaginable moments. Thank you very much, Riccardo.

I left Italy on a foggy and dark day. I like these days. The Basque Country used to be like this, but when I took off in Bilbao, the strong wind that violently balanced the plane was enough to know that the south side wind still was blowing strongly in this tired autumn. Still, the leaves are comfortably placed in the trees ... Mother Nature doesn’t advise them to go away.


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Photo by Rikar Otegi

Well, a few days ago I received a phone call from Patxi [Usobiaga]. He told me that he just sent a 9a project. "Hey, Josune, go and try it, and let me know what you think about it." I promised him I would try it. This route is located in Etxauri, in a not very well known place. But with the effort of Ekaitz Maiz and some locals, they have developed a modern area in an interesting, old climbing site. It's a nice place for this season, no? Congratulations, Patxi, for your recent world cup winning!

Photo by Rikar Otegi
Photo by Rikar Otegi
 
 

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