BURSTStefano Ghisolfi has made the third ascent of Big Illusion V15 (8C) in Val Daone, Italy. It was established in 2020 by Stefan Scarperi, and then sat unrepeated for five years. Adam Ondra made the long-awaited second ascent in November last year. Scarperi proposed a grade of V16 when he announced his FA, but cheeky new beta involving a kneepad on the calf has led the two subsequent ascensionists to propose V15 instead.
“Third ascent of Big Illusion [V15], the hardest boulder in Valdaone,” said Ghisolfi on Instagram. “Took me 7 sessions, and a new technique called ‘the sliding calf-bar’. This is probably my second hardest boulder ascent after Gioia, and my 9th [V15] or above in less than a year! Time to go back sport climbing now.”
Big Illusion is characterized by heinous crimps and extremely powerful moves. Ondra describes it as a MoonBoard-style problem in his send video, which you can view below. The “sliding calf-bar” technique was described by Ondra on Instagram: “It involves putting a kneepad on your calf, and pulling with your calf on the arete.” And just like that, a new application for kneepads was born. The idea of rubberising the calf was, in fact, introduced to Ondra by Ghisolfi.
Ghisolfi is one of the best sport climbers in the world. He has four 5.15c routes to his name: Perfecto Mundo, Change, Bibliography, and Excalibur. In 2025, Ghisolfi climbed three 5.15b’s in Spain – The Full Journey in Margalef, Chris Sharma’s Sleeping Lion in Siurana, and Neanderthal in Lleida. He is also racking up quite the bouldering resume. In June 2025, he climbed Anam Cara Low V15 in Silvapark, Austria. On a trip to Ticino, Switzerland, in August 2025, he topped Hazel Grace V15 and Andularia V15. In September, he climbed Flow State V15 in Val Daone, Italy. In February this year, he climbed Gioia V16 in Varazze, Italy, his first of the grade.
Adam Ondra on Big Illusion V15
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