Statement from SCARPA on the loss of Ueli Steck

May 4, 2017

During this difficult time our thoughts go first to Ueli Steck’s family and closest friends. However, because Ueli was also an athlete and collaborator who worked with us since the beginning of his career as a climber, we at SCARPA feel compelled to offer our own tribute to this unique and talented person.

Ueli was obviously known widely for his mountaineering skills, from his earliest days as a young alpinist to his days as a visionary who opened a new concept in alpinism called Speed Climbing. But to see Ueli only in that light is missing a big part of the person.

Thanks to his sharpness and experience, he was often involved in SCARPA’s mountaineering vision and strategy. His personality was equally exceptional – polite, humble, and always with a smile for anyone he met. We will miss you, Ueli, and we will miss those smiles.

“For me and for everyone here at SCARPA, Ueli was not just an extraordinary person and a visionary athlete, he was also a person who was able to transmit to each of us his passion and his determination, and he always had exceptional thoughts on products and on business,” said Sandro Parisotto, President of SCARPA.

Thanks to Ueli’s ideas about developing equipment to support his futuristic projects, SCARPA pushed itself to research and develop new materials, new technologies and new solutions. Ueli’s input on SCARPA’s products, and his imprint on the people at the company, cannot be understated.

Davide Parisotto, R&D Director at SCARPA, and Cristina Parisotto, Product & Design Director, who, along with Sandro are all among the second generation of the Parisotto family to own and operate SCARPA, all remember Ueli as a brother.

“We will keep forever in our hearts the days spent developing the best products we could to meet Ueli’s next challenge,” the Parisottos said. “It might seem a contradiction at a time like this, but Ueli is an athlete thanks to whom the safety level has been raised for everyone who loves mountain travel, and for that reason, and many others, we will continue to say ‘thank you’ for a long time to come.”

“Dear Ueli: You know better than any one how beautiful the mountains are and we are sure that wherever you are, you will continue to dream with us, protecting the people who want to live the amazing passion for mountains, as you always did.”