The two climbers Simon Gietl and Vittorio Messini set a new speed record. They climb the north face of the Ortler, the Großer Zinne and the Grossglockner in less than 48 hours and put the track back in between by bike.
It was late summer 1991 when two of the most daring mountaineers, Hans Kammerlander and Hans-Peter Eisendle, faced a new, hybrid and progressive challenge in their native mountains. They wanted to climb the north face of the Ortler and the north face of the Großer Zinne in one day. They covered the distance between the two mountains (246 km) on their bikes. What started out more or less as a gimmick became a milestone in a new understanding of mountain sports.
Simon Gietl and Vittorio Messini enhance the project
Almost three decades later, the South Tyrolean Simon Gietl and his comrade Vittorio Messini are going one better. You add a north face to the tour of Hans-Peter and Hans and thus also a bike route and want to get the whole thing over the stage in less than 48 hours. Said and done. “Following in the footsteps of people who envisioned the future of mountaineering 27 years ago is a challenge in itself. Our goal wasn't just a homage or a second edition. We wanted to go even further to our limits and set a new milestone for hybrid mountaineering, ”said Simon and Vittorio on their ascent.
The project in numbers
About Simon Gietl
Simon, born 1984, lives in Lutago in Valle Aurina and is a professional athlete. Simon's life is all about discovering, defining and climbing modern and challenging new routes, but in a traditional style. He enjoys traveling and exploring new and unexpected places. However, the Dolomites are still the source of inspiration and playground number 1 for him.
He is an alpinist through and through, but is also averse to running, cycling and ski touring, as these sports are not only good for training and fun, but also bring him directly to his destination: in the mountains.
About Vittorio Messini
Vittorio, 1988 born in Florence, lives since his childhood in Kals at the foot of the Grossglockner. He works as a mountain guide, sharing his passion for the mountains with others. He is a humble and motivated person. He loves to get into the mountains in the cleanest possible way, leaving nothing behind, but only to bring good memories and stories home with him.
Credits: Images and text information Salewa