His climb was around 12.30am, the mayor of Pollensa, Andrés Nevado, having ordered the suspension of the ascent of the Pi de Sant Antoni shortly after midnight. This was because no one had managed to reach the top.
Various political representatives had already said that the climb had been ruined (made that much more difficult) because the highest part had been smeared with an excessive amount of butter. A sudden rain and hail storm didn't make things any easier.
The earliest documented record of the climb, which traditionally takes place on January 17 for the Sant Antoni fiestas, comes from 1873, but it is believed to date back very much further. The tree chosen is the Pi de Sant Antoni, but it is sometimes called Pi de Ternelles, after the finca where it is felled. As far as the people of Pollensa are concerned, Pi de Ternelles is incorrect, as the tree used to come from other places before Ternelles became established.
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Gentle story Andrew - but have you got an update on the far more serious water cable story threatening Alcúdia?? The council was against it totally. Locals have hung banners. The cable (ironically proposed on ecological grounds) is threatening an area of natural beauty - an area close to La Victoria, where generations of Mallorcan children have be able to learn and enjoy nature, an area remarkable for its lack of hotels and over-crowding. An area so precious and rare for Mallorca that it deserves all our support and protection. This debate cuts to the heart of protecting the environment in the Balearics - come on Andrew let’s have an MDB campaign.