Alex Puccio

Alex Puccio (born Alexandrea Elizabeth Cocca on June 15, 1989 in McKinney, Texas) is a professional climber specializing in bouldering. She competes in climbing competitions and splits her time between climbing outdoor and indoor. She regularly participates in United States national championships and the IFSC world cups. She finished 3rd overall in the World Cup bouldering competition in 2011 and has won the American Bouldering Series eleven times.[3]

Alex Puccio
Alex Puccio at the Boulder Worldcup Finals 2017 in Munich, Germany
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1989-06-15) June 15, 1989
McKinney, Texas
Height5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) (2013)[1]
Weight117 lb (53 kg) (2015)[2]
Climbing career
Type of climberBouldering
Highest grade
Medal record
Climbing World Cup
2011Bouldering
2013Bouldering
Climbing World Championships
2014 MunichBouldering
Rock Master
2012Bouldering
2013Bouldering
2014Bouldering
Updated on 18 March 2013.
Alex Puccio climbing at the Boulder Worldcup 2017

Biography

Puccio started climbing in 2002 at age thirteen with her mother.[4] In 2006, she participated for the first time in the U.S. Bouldering Championships, and won the title.[5] She later won in 2007,[6] 2008,[7] 2010,[8] 2011,[9] 2012,[10] and 2013.[11] In 2008, 2009 and 2010 she competed in the World Cup bouldering climbing but only at the stage of Vail finishing sixth respectively, before and fourth.[12] In 2011, she took part in all the steps going up to the podium five times, with three second places and two third places. Since then she has been a fixture on the IFSC Bouldering World Cup circuit where she is constantly a finalist.

She has ascended over two dozen boulders graded V12 (8A+) between the United States and Europe.[13] On July 2, 2014, Puccio ascended Top Notch in Rocky Mountain National Park. This was her first V13(8B) graded boulder.[14] A month later, she ascended Jade becoming the fourth woman to climb V14.[15]

She placed second in the Boulder World Championship in Munich, Germany on 23 August 2014.[16]

On June 5, 2015, she sustained a season ending knee injury while warming up her dynos during the IFSC World Cup competition in Vail, Colorado. She required surgery to repair the torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus ligaments in her left knee which could have resulted in months of inactivity during the recovery. Despite a six-month inactivity prediction she was back climbing V13 (8B) by October 2015 with an ascent of Free Range in Boulder Canyon, Colorado.[17]

In February 2016, she won the Hueco Tanks 'Rock Rodeo' amid world class competitors proving that she was still in top form. Puccio also had the most productive week-long bouldering trip by any female in history by completing three V13 (8B) boulders among many other double-digit (V-scale) boulders.[18]

On June 19, 2016, Puccio underwent a spinal fusion surgery after doctors discovered a herniated disk between the C5 and C6 vertebrae.[19] She first noticed the serious nature of the injury during the finals of the 2016 bouldering World Cup in Vail, CO when she felt shooting pain and weakness in her arms. Despite the pain she still climbed in the finals.[19]

On December 19, 2016, she climbed the iconic razor blade climb Terre De Sienne V13 (8B) at Hueco Tanks. This achievement marked her 15th climb of that difficulty,[20] performed just six months after a serious injury.

Competition

Puccio is America's most accomplished female bouldering competitor. She has won the ABS National Championship eleven times and is the top American female bouldering competitor at the IFSC world competitions. She has earned numerous medals in the bouldering World Cup events including gold medals at the 2009 Vail World Cup and the 2018 Vail World Cup.[21] In 2014, she earned a gold medal at the Arco Rockmaster event and a silver medal in the World Championships for bouldering.[21]

Number of medals in the World Cup
Season Gold Silver Bronze Total
200911
2011325
201211
2013145
201411
201811
Total24814

[21]

Notable ascents

References
  1. "Alex Puccio Interview". The Arch Climbing Wall. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 13 September 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  2. "TBP 021:: Alex Puccio on Training, Bodyweight, and Crowdfunding". TrainingBeta Podcast. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2018. I’m going to step on a scale and see what I’m at now.’ I think I went from 129 to 117 within a month and a half, probably.
  3. "2017 USA Nationals: Puccio and Woods go for their 10th victory against defending champions Mascarenas and Coleman". OnBouldering.com. 2017-02-03. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
  4. Outside Online. "Climber Alex Puccio". Outside Magazine. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  5. Dougald MacDonald. "U.S. Bouldering Championships". climbing.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  6. Dougald MacDonald. "U.S. National Bouldering Championships". climbing.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  7. Dougald MacDonald. "Robinson, Puccio Are National Bouldering Champs". climbing.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  8. Dougald MacDonald. "Puccio, Woods Are Bouldering Champs". climbing.com. Archived from the original on 17 March 2010. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  9. Amanda Fox (13 February 2011). "McColl, Puccio Win ABS 12 Nationals". climbing.com. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  10. Amanda Fox (27 February 2012). "Woods, Puccio Take Gold at ABS Nationals". climbing.com. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  11. Amanda Fox (22 February 2013). "Woods, Puccio Reigning Champions at ABS 14". climbing.com. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  12. Dougald MacDonald. "Americans Shine at Vail World Cup". climbing.com. Archived from the original on 13 August 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  13. https://www.8a.nu/
  14. Leslie Hittmeier (3 July 2014). "Alex Puccio Breaks Into V13 With Top Notch In RMNP". climbing.com. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  15. Missy Rae (4 August 2014). "Big Weekend Sends for Payne and Puccio". Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  16. "Results of the IFSC World Championships Munich 2014 - Boulder". ifsc-climbing.org. 24 August 2014. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  17. MacDonald, Dougald (23 October 2015). "Puccio Back in Top Form After Serious Knee Injury". Climbing.com. Cruz Bay Publishing. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  18. "Two More V13's for Alex Puccio in Hueco". DPM Climbing. 21 February 2016. Archived from the original on 26 February 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  19. "Alex Puccio (@alex_puccio89)". Instagram. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  20. 8a.nu
  21. "Alex Puccio: USA". ISFC Climbing. Signé Bluette. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  22. "Fourth V14 for Alex Puccio: Penrose Step in Leavenworth, WA". Rock and Ice. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  23. "Alex Puccio Tops New Base Line V14". Gripped. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  25. "Alex Puccio on Instagram". Instagram. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  26. "Alex Puccio Sends Hard Problems on First Day in Leavenworth". Gripped. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  27. "Alex Puccio Sends The Swarm". Climbing Narc. Climbing Narcissist. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
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