BURSTOn March 29, Gianluca Vighetti sent Adam Ondra’s Bombardino in Arco, Italy, on his second go. The 17-year-old Italian crusher has now sent six routes 5.14d or harder, according to his 8a.nu. Ondra established Bombardino in February 2022. Bomba 5.15b was the original vision for the wall, first opened by Ondra. He knew there was an exit to the right, but initially thought it was too easy for him to spend time on. After exploring it more and realizing its difficulty, the right exit became what is now known as Bombardino.
“This ascent literally came out of nowhere,” said Vighetti on Instagram. “A couple of weeks ago, I made a quick trip to Arco together with my dad and my friend [Giachino Giovanni], who was competing in the National Team Trials, while I took it as an opportunity to train on the routes in the Rock Master Stadium. This was the original plan, but then, on Sunday, after he finished the Trial kinda early (2 p.m.) and I had already climbed 5 hard routes, we decided to use the time left to go check out this awesome route FA by [Adam Ondra] that has been on my mind for a while.
“I just wanted to get an idea, to see if I had a chance, and hopefully come back next season. After an attempt where I found all the betas for the hard boulder (and not really the rest of the route), I gave another try to see where I would fall and, I have no idea how, I didn’t.
“If I have to be honest, I really wish I could say that I could do a [5.15a] in 2 attempts, that would be crazy. But realistically, I think it’s 100% not more than [5.14d], and not a really hard one, the new beta probably makes it a lot easier than before. This route was as cool as I expected it to be, and the crag is absolutely magical. I struggled to post this because last week I had a shoulder injury that is forcing me to rest, and I feel like a different person right now. The timing couldn’t be worse, I had the first Italian cup the past weekend and the trial after another week, which unfortunately I will not do. I’ll be back hopefully for the Italian championships, the shoulder is feeling better every day.”
Bombardino has seen several repeats, including those from Stefano Ghisolfi, Gio Placci, Laura Rogora and most recently, Eva Hammelmüller. Placci climbed it in four days, and Rogora put it away in only one. Ondra initially suggested on 8a.nu that it might be 5.15b, but Ghisolfi and subsequent ascensionists found different beta to tame the crux. Vighetti so far stands alone in his assessment of 5.14d.
Vighetti made headlines in 2021 when he became the youngest climber to send 5.14d with TCT in Gravere, Italy. In December 2025, he climbed Ondra’s slab route Niobe in Arco on his third go, and suggested 5.14b/c –Ondra proposed 5.14d. In November 2025, Vighetti climbed his first 5.15a with Lapsus in Cuneo, Italy. He ticked another 5.15a the next month with his ascent of Not So Isili in Sardinia, Italy. Vighetti is also a competition climber and won the European Youth Lead Cup in Toulouse in 2025.
Adam Ondra’s First Ascent of Bombardino
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