The GRAVITEO A Coruña Xacobeo festival transformed the esplanada de O Parrote in A Coruña, Spain, on Saturday, drawing thousands of spectators to witness high-altitude climbing, bouldering, and parkour displays along the Galician coast, according to local reporting.
Psychobloc Master Series Brings Deep-Water Soloing to A Coruña
Saturday morning’s marquee attraction was the Psicobloc Master Series, a spectacle featuring elite climbers scaling a 16-meter overhanging wall erected directly over the water, with the Atlantic serving as the sole safety net. Spectators crowded the port area, asking how athletes could manage the sheer vertical ascent without harnesses or ropes. American climber Chris Sharma, an international ambassador for the discipline, opened the exhibition with a measured and successful run that drew an extensive ovation from the gathered crowds, as reported by La Opinión de La Coruña.
Following Sharma’s demonstration, competitors found the initial difficulty exceptionally steep. Austrian athlete Mattea Pötzi acknowledged the brutal nature of the route after dropping into the water on a failed attempt, while Eneko Carretero emerged as the sole competitor alongside Sharma to reach the summit during the morning practice session. In response to the high technical difficulty, event organizers adjusted the course by adding a pair of holds to make the ascent more accessible before the evening’s final rounds.
Bouldering and Parkour Competitions Underway
Beyond the deep-water soloing walls, the festival hosted official competitions in bouldering and parkour, though morning humidity initially delayed proceedings on both structures to ensure competitor safety. Once the sun dried the climbing surfaces, the Open Cidade de A Coruña for climbing and paraclimbing crowned Vladimir Babin of AMI in the absolute men’s final, ahead of Mateo Vasconez of Montañeros Celtas and Alén Villaverde of Peña Trevinca, according to local accounts.
Parkour athletes utilized the morning sessions for preliminary qualification rounds ahead of the Spanish Championship and International Open finals scheduled for Sunday morning. Competitors cycled through speed and freestyle categories across the port zone, maintaining a high-tempo schedule that kept spectators engaged throughout the day.
Event Organization and Institutional Backing
The urban sports festival is organized by La Opinión and Prensa Ibérica, with backing from the Xunta de Galicia, the Concello de A Coruña, the Diputación, and Cabreiroá. Additional support comes from the Real Federación Española de Gimnasia, the Federación Galega de Montañismo, Tranvías, Honda Galcar, and Bico de Xeado. The event continues through Sunday with final rounds across its core disciplines.
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