Sergio Sala
{{Short description|Italian footballer and climber}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
Sergio "Gigi" Sala (born 11 January 1958 in Casatenovo) is an Italian former semi-professional footballer and climber.
Early life and education
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Sergio Sala was born 1958 in Casatenovo.{{according to whom|date=March 2024}}
Career
Sala started his playing career at San Giorgio,{{Cite web|title=G.S.O. San Giorgio – Polisportiva GSO San Giorgio|url=https://www.gsosangiorgio.it/sito/|access-date=20 June 2021|language=it-IT}} a club based in Casatenovo. He played as a centre back (stopper).
In 1980, when he was 22, he was noticed and recruited by the club Associazione Sportiva Sant'Angelo. He played two seasons with them{{Cite web|title=Storia|url=http://www.asdsantangelo.it/page/994662797415/storia|access-date=21 June 2021|website=ASD Sant'Angelo 1907|language=it}} and then began to get noticed by bigger clubs such as Atalanta, A.C. Monza and Como. However, during one of his last matches with A.S. Sant'Angelo, he broke his meniscus, forcing him to retire from football.
Climbing career
After Sala's retirement, he became a climber.
From 1984 to 2013 he was one of the alpine guides of the CAI of Barzanò.{{Cite web|title=CAI sezione di Barzanò – Chi più in alto sale, più lontano vede. Chi più lontano vede, più a lungo sogna|url=http://www.caibarzano.it/|access-date=20 June 2021|language=it-IT}}{{Cite web|title=2017 arrampicata – CAI sezione di Barzanò|url=http://www.caibarzano.it/2017-arrampicata/|access-date=22 June 2021|language=it-IT}}
He was the first person to reach the summit of the mount Resegone in 1985{{Cite web|title=Monti - Monte Resegone|url=http://www.lavalsassina.com/punto_interesse.php?id=236|access-date=20 June 2021|website=www.lavalsassina.com|language=it}} and the summit of the Grigna in 1988.{{Cite web|date=1 June 2012|title=Storia alpinistica delle Grigne|url=https://www.cima-asso.it/blog/2012/06/01/storia-alpinistica-delle-grigne/|access-date=20 June 2021|website=CIMA-ASSO.it|language=en-US}}{{failed verification|date=March 2024}} In both these occasions he reached the summit using only his hands and without any protections.{{Cite web|title=Free Climbing|url=http://www.avventuraitalia.it/Freeclimbing.html|access-date=21 June 2021|website=www.avventuraitalia.it}}
After these achievements he became very famous in the Brianza region.{{according to whom|date=March 2024}}
Personal life
He is one of the best friends of the singer Francesco Magni (1949–2021).{{Cite web|title=Magni, il Garibaldi della Brianza 'Canto le mie radici in dialetto' - la Repubblica.it|url=https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2004/08/22/magni-il-garibaldi-della-brianza-canto-le.html|access-date=20 June 2021|website=Archivio - la Repubblica.it|date=22 August 2004 |language=it}} He and Sergio Sala made a few songs together singing in the Brianzoeu dialect. The most famous one is "{{lang|lmo|Polenta e buseca|i=no}}".{{Cite web|title=Canzoni popolari milanesi: le più famose|url=https://www.milanofree.it/milano/dialetto/canzoni-popolari-milanesi-le-piu-famose.html|access-date=20 June 2021|website=MilanoFree.it|language=it-it}}