Giuliano
Cameroni
Switzerland
·
Bouldering
Date of birth | 11 May 1997 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Canton Ticino |
Age | 28 |
Nationality | Switzerland |
Career start | 2011 |
Disciplines | Climbing Boulder |
Hailing from the small Italian-speaking village of Montagnola in Ticino, Switzerland, Giuliano Cameroni has gone on to become one of the hottest talents in the bouldering scene.
His rise has come as little surprise to his family, who encouraged Cameroni from a young age. "I was three years old, although there’s a photo of me on a rock before I can walk – on my hands and my knees," he says. "My parents climbed and I would always be with them in the mountains. I really loved it."
Having got the bug, there was no stopping Cameroni, and by the age of nine he realised he had an aptitude for the sport, which would later see him specialise in bouldering.
In 2011, he came second at the Mammut Youth Climbing Cup in Switzerland and continued to impress in various International Federation of Sport Climbing events.
A move away from competition climbing
Despite experiencing plenty of success in sport climbing, Cameroni has always felt more at home in the great outdoors and chose to focus more on free climbing.
In November 2020, in Valle Bavona, Switzerland, he made the first ascent of a stunning prow known as Baba Yaga, which is now graded as 9a. The route joins a growing list of aesthetic valley lines that Cameroni has conquered, such as Simple Man and Mojo Rising. He also conquered the 9a Legacy route – Africa’s first 9a – in Rocklands, South Africa, in 2019.
A firm believer in meditation and being spiritual, when he does climb, he says there is a deep connection between him and the rocks. It almost feels like a superpower. It gives him energy.
“I have this connection with the rock that most people don’t have," he says. "The power that comes from this is the power I need to climb."
Always seeking a new adventure
Given Cameroni's approach to life and climbing, it's unsurprising to learn that he's a member of a climbing collective known as Mellow. Along with members of that crew, Cameroni continues to push the boundaries of bouldering and seek out exciting new routes wherever and whenever possible.
Giuliano Cameroni is all smiles after bouldering
© Stefan Kuerzi/Red Bull Content Pool
Giuliano Cameroni conquers bouldering route in Locarno
© Will Saunders/Red Bull Content Pool
Quiet mind and dry fingers: Cameroni pauses before climbing in Switzerland
© Stefan Kuerzi/Red Bull Content Pool
Giuliano Cameroni touched by the light in his Swiss backyard
© Stefan Kuerzi/Red Bull Content Pool