FRANCOIS CAZZANELLI JOINS THE SALEWA ATHLETE TEAM

We are pleased to announce a further new addition to our Athlete Team: Italian climber, Francois Cazzanelli, is a young progressive alpinist. Born in Cervinia, the 28-year-old professional climber grew up in and lives for the mountains all year round. The mountains are literally in his genes – the name Cazzanelli has been synonymous with alpine expertise and mountain guides for five generations. From January 2019, the all-round alpinist is setting out with the Salewa Athlete Team.

Francois “Franz” Cazzanelli lives in Valtournenche in the Aosta Valley region of north-west Italy, where he is continuing in the family footsteps by putting up numerous first ascents of hard mixed routes. The fully-qualified mountain guide has demonstrated exceptional versatility in recent years. In addition to first ascents of numerous new mixed routes up to W15 M8, Francois has also set a number of records. In 2018, he traversed the Grandes Murailles ridge (23 kilometres, 3,300 vertical metres) in under eleven hours with his climbing partner Kilian Jornet Burgada. His speed ascents represent exceptional performances.

The young alpinist has surprised a lot of people with his fast times in alpine terrain on the Four Thousanders of Monte Rosa – his home region, and in higher mountain ranges around the world. To date, Francois has taken part in over ten expeditions outside Europe, exploring remote and unknown mountains from the wild spires of Patagonia to 8,000-metre peaks in the Himalayas.