Leonie Hofer finished eighth. © Giovanni Danieli

Italian Championship in Brixen with seven South Tyroleans

The vertical climbing wall in Brixen became the center of the national bouldering scene at the weekend: 40 female and 46 male athletes from all over Italy competed in a high-class competition at the Italian Championships – including seven South Tyroleans.

March 09, 2026

From: pm

Leonie Hofer (AVS Passeier) and Filip Schenk (Fiamme Oro) reached the final – Hofer finished 8th, Schenk 5th. The reigning Italian champion Nicolò Santirana did not qualify for the final, while Giorgia Tesio successfully defended her Italian championship title.

The bouldering problems were technically demanding and creatively set – Stefan Scarperi was the chief route setter. In the qualification round, climbers had four minutes to complete five boulders, while in the semi-finals and finals, they had four. The strongest athletes from all regions of Italy competed; the reigning Italian champions, Giorgia Tesio and Nicolò Sartirana, were also present – ​​although Nicolò Sartirana narrowly missed qualifying for the final, finishing 9th. Representing South Tyrol were the reigning Italian Lead climbing champion, Filip Schenk, Johannes Egger, Emma Benazzi, Leonie Hofer, Matilda Liù Moar, and Bettina Dorfmann – all of whom have previous experience at the Italian Championships. Pier Giulio Paglierani was competing for the first time.

The qualification

The Italian Championships were organized by the Italian National Climbing Federation (FASI) and supported by the AVS (Alpine Club South Tyrol). The qualifying rounds took place on Saturday, and the South Tyrolean athletes already demonstrated their skills. Around 500 spectators cheered as Leonie Hofer, Matilda Liù Moar, Emma Benazzi, and Filip Schenk qualified for the semifinals. For Bettina Dorfmann, Johannes Egger, and Piergiulio Paglierani, the Italian Championships ended on Saturday. The men's competition was particularly exciting: Filip Schenk had a high starting number – 137. In recent years, he had primarily focused on the lead climbing discipline; however, in the bouldering qualifying round, he worked his way up from the back of the field and delivered a strong performance. He finished in 7th place in the qualifying round – ahead of the reigning Italian champion, Nicoló Sartirana.

semifinals and finals

The tension mounted early Sunday afternoon. Many spectators had come to Brixen to see and cheer on the best of the best. Both competitions offered exciting performances. Emma Benazzi fought hard until the very end: “I went into the qualifying round on Saturday motivated. The boulders were cool, but difficult. On the second-to-last boulder, on my last attempt, I pulled a muscle in my thigh while attempting a hook. So, it was time to rub it down and massage it so I could start in the semifinals on Sunday. There, the pain was bearable, but I couldn't give it my all, partly for fear of injuring myself further. Overall, I enjoyed the competition; I was nervous, but I tried to give it my all. I'm still satisfied because I tried to fight despite the injury,” she said. She finished in 21st place. Matilda Liù Moar climbed her way into the top ten: she achieved 10th place overall, but missed out on the final of the top eight.

“It was really cool to climb in front of a home crowd. It's also exciting to see familiar faces in the audience. But I had fun and I'm happy,” she said. Leonie Hofer is now the eighth-best climber in Italy. “I had hoped for a bit more in the final. I'm taking away some experiences and things I can work on,” she said later. Filip Schenk delivered a fantastic performance on the bouldering wall: He fought until the very end and finished in fifth place. “I ended up taking too many attempts on the first three boulders. The last one was difficult, but I felt good. I'm satisfied, especially since I've only really been rope climbing in recent years. Brixen is my home; today my girlfriend, my parents, and many friends were here,” he said after the competition.

Isolation zone and inspection

Before the start, concentration and nervousness reach their peak: The athletes retreat to the isolation zone for about an hour – only they and their coaches have access, and cell phones must be left outside. Here, the athletes warm up for the competition and get themselves into the right mental state. "We've been preparing for this competition for months; it's the most important national competition of every season. Everyone is in top physical condition, but this competition requires a lot of luck, as well as mental strength," says coach Hannes Mantinger. Together with Morris Fontanari, he has prepared the South Tyrolean athletes for this event. As soon as the athletes emerge from the isolation zone, they are introduced – strictly with their backs to the bouldering wall. Not a single glance is allowed – no one is to gain an advantage. The athletes are allowed five minutes to inspect the boulders, and only the first hold may be touched. The judges ensure that these rules are followed very carefully.