Soudain Seul (8C+/9A) 2nd ascent
Nico Pelorson - Soudain Seul (8C+/9A) 2nd ascent - Full story
2nd ascent of Soudain Seul (aka Big Island assis) by Nico Pelorson, first climbed by Simon Lorenzi a few months ago. Simon proposed 9A, and Nico suggested a downgrade to 8C+. Before their ascents, the boulder had been tried by a lot of strong climbers, including Jimmy Webb and Jan Hojer. Either 8C+ or 9A, this is for sure one of the hardest boulders in the world.
The Big Island assis by Simon Lorenzi
Update: www.instagram.com
I started to think about this boulder right after my quick send of "big island". Two months later i was back in Font for two week. Despite of the bad weather i spent as more time as possible in the boulder trying to figure out the moves and link sections. It took me 6 sessions to succeed the first part. It's tricky and i was not use to kneebar so it was the most complicated part for me.
At the end of the trip i was ready to put some real attempts. The very last day i fell twice to go to the crimp at the end and i thougt "I'm so close in only 8 days. It's hard but no harder than 8c+".
The following evenements showed that i wasn't that close. One week later i was back for two days and i was really confident. But there was always a problem and every solution that i found added a new problem to solve. It took me 15 session more of solving problems and find as much details as possible to reduce my energy depense in the first part. Even the day of the sent i found helpfull new small tricks for my beta. Finally it took me around 25 sessions wich is way more than i expected.
I enjoyed all the processus and the battle for the FA with @camille_coudert_ and @nico_pelorson was really cool. We've spent lot of memorable day at the boulder laughing and pushing ourselves to try hard.
About the grade i feel that is something between a hard 8c+ and 9a. I don't know if it's 9a/ V17 because i don't have enough experience to say and there is no other 9a in the style to compare. It seems that the others guys who tried it think more for the 9a/V17 grade but nobody really knows. After all the reflexions 9a/V17 looks to be the appropriate grade regarding where is our sport now. Have new kind of reference in a level is something important in climbing. That push the sport further and it's also add a new point of comparaison in this grade. As always the time and the repetitions will tell us!
Source: 8a.nu
Simon Lorenzi reports on Insta that he has made the sit start of The Big Island. It has been aproject for many years and James Webb has said that just the sit into the stand start is at least 8B+. ” The sit start is an incredible project. For me personally the bottom is at least 8B+ and maybe even harder than The Big Island itself. The intro (10 moves for my method) is very powerful, yet technical with a tricky kneebar that links you through to the stand. Once you’re there you just have to take a deep breath and with absolutely no rest climb the Big Island.”
Lorenzi has not yet suggested a grade, but adding an 8B+ into an 8C (B+) means that it could possibly be the second 9A in the world or a very hard 8C+. The picture by Oriane Tollebeek is from last October when Lorenzi did the Big Island after just two sessions, saying it is possibly 8B+. This 168 cm tall guy has previously done three 8C's, but as they did go down in just one or two sessions, he thought they all just might be 8B+. In 2017, he did his first 9a, ActionDirecte, after eleven days of projecting.
“No kpote only” by Charles Albert
In January 2019, Charles Albert barefoot climbed his longstanding project, proposing the mythical 9A/V17 grade. A year later, Ryohei Kameyama repeated the line and suggested 8C+/9A. Time will tell how hard this boulder actually is, but for now it stays as one of the hardest ascents ever, and barefoot...
'SUPER BLOOD WOLF MOON '
Great day out in cova de ocell. Most days you come up empty handed so it’s important to enjoy the fleeting moments when things come together. I was able to finish off this beautiful and sustained traverse I’ve been working in the last couple weeks. About 30 moves and if I had to put a grade on it I’d say it’s comparable to a 9a route. I know there is a travers rating system but no idea how it works. Anyone know what this could be? Anyways great to get out in nature and escape the vortex. So important for my sanity to get outside and touch rock!
Thanks for the spot @pol_roca and the footage @giancolafoto
9A in Fontainebleau by Albert
l'histoire de la deuxième proposition en 9A bloc "No Kpote Only" de la planète à découvrir en exclu.
Dans ce numéro, l’ovni de l’escalade Charles Albert est mis à l’honneur pour sa réussite du deuxième 9A bloc du monde, c’est en tout cas la cotation qu’il propose.
Guiliano Camaroni and Charles Albert (the barefoot climber) in Fontainebleau, France. Giuliano goes on a tear through the forest during a week of excellent conditions.
Charles monkeys around some old and new classics in the forest waiting for a chance on his potential 9a project (min 6:35)
The Night Of - A Supplement to The Lappnor Project
The first ascent of Burden of Dreams (9A/V17) along with an interview with Nalle Hukkataival conducted a few hours afterwards. For the full 3 1/2 year journey watch The Lappnor Project at thelappnorproject.com
Lappnor project/"Burden of Dreams" 9a
Yesterday I had another session on the Lappnor project. The routine that goes into it after all this time isn’t all that exciting; the same warm up, driving an hour on the same road, brushing the all too familiar holds, re-warming up, systematically trying the same sequences in the same order. Some days you feel strong and confident and get totally shut down. Other days you’re not feeling a 100 percent and it could be the best session you’ve had. All logic seems to have gone out the window a long time ago.
Many sessions I wish I could forget. Can’t do a move I’ve done countless of times before. Last highpoint was a year ago. Weeks and months turned into years of uncertainty and self-doubt. Trying to keep that little spark of hope in the back of your mind alive. Walking up to the boulder with all the positivity I can muster, I still can’t ignore what the boulder has become to represent; failure of varying degrees.
Sitting under the boulder I can feel the weight of it. Pulling on always feels like a déjà vu, like the thousands of times before. It always starts the same way and ends the same way. Except this time. This time was different.
Snap to reality, I’m hanging on the lip of the boulder, disoriented, heart racing. Contain the panic. I’m on top of the boulder trying to grasp how I got there. Lots of feelings coinciding; surprise, relief, happiness, confusion. As reality hits that quickly turns into ecstatic happiness with a dash of disbelief.
Waking up today I can’t help but look at the world with different eyes. Having achieved the first ascent of Burden of Dreams marks a new level in my climbing. With a handful of existing 8C+ boulders in the world,
proposing 9A is the logical step.
Huge thanks to my friend Marko Siivinen for showing me the line! What a journey it’s been!
Stay tuned for a film of the whole story with the boulder. It will be something extraordinary!