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 is known for being one of the strongest female climbers of all time. 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 ten times.  Biography Alex started climbing in 2002 at age thirteen with her mother. In 2006, she participated for the first time in the U.S. Bouldering Championships, and won the title. She later won in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. 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. 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. On July 2, 2014, Puccio ascended Top Notch in Rocky Mountain National Park. This was her first V13(8B) graded boulder. A month later, she ascended Jade becoming the fourth woman to climb V14.  Alex placed second in the Boulder World Championship in Munich, Germany on 23 August 2014. On June 5, 2015 Alex sustained a season ending knee injury while warming up her dynos during the IFSC World Cup competition in Vail, CO. 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, CO. In February 2016, Alex 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.  On June 19, 2016, Alex underwent a spinal fusion surgery after doctors discovered a herniated disk between the C5 and C6 vertebrae. 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.  On December 19, 2016 Alex climbed the iconic razor blade climb Terre De Sienne V13 (8B) at Hueco Tanks. This achievement marked her 15th climb of that difficulty. The ascent is a testament to how resilient and determined Alex is by climbing at a world class level so soon after a serious injury. CompetitionAlex Puccio is the most accomplished American female bouldering competitor. She has won the ABS National Championship ten 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 a gold medal at the 2009 World Cup held in Vail, CO. In 2014, she earned a gold medal at the Arco Rockmaster event and a silver medal in the World Championships for bouldering. Notable AscentsReferencesAlex Puccio Wikipedia | |||||||||||||||
