Big Sends in Europe This Week by Top Climbers
Some of the world’s best climbers have been rounding off their 2015 years with big sends.
Alex Megos climbed a new 5.14d in Frankenjura called Space Lap. “Might have been the last really good day in the Frankenjura,” said Megos. “And I made the best of it. Not only that the climbing legend Jerry Moffatt was with us at the crag, but also did he cheer me on while doing the first ascent of another 5.14d in the Frankenjura. It was a project of Philipp Warda who belayed me during the send.”
Jonathan Siegrist sent Chris Sharma’s well known route Papichulo 5.15a in Oliana, Spain. “Papichulo is an incredible 45-metre route,” said Siegrist. “It’s involved, with a very pumpy and nerve-racking finish after a consistently tough first half.” Siegrist has climbed three 5.15as and he sent this one at night, with a headlamp on.
Watch Joe Kinder project Papichulo:
“Missed The Bus” – Papichulo from EASTERN MOUNTAIN SPORTS on Vimeo.
Jakob Schubert, one of the world’s leading comp climbers, has made the first ascent of Companion of Change 5.14d in Zillertal, Austria. An impressive send and only a few days after finishing third at the Kranj World Cup, which landed him in third overall of the season. “The route was bolted by Markus Schwaiger and then rebolted and cleaned by Gerhard Hörhager, two of the most important climbers of Tyrol,” said Schubert. “I tried this route many years ago and came back every once in a while.”
Adam Ondra, who recently won the Kranj World Cup and finished first overall for the season, has climbed another new 5.15a. This time it is at Srbsko in the Czech Republic and is called Predator. Ondra has climbed over 20 new routes 5.15a or harder.
Edu Marin sent Chilam Balam 5.15a in Spain. He had been projecting the climb with Dani Andrada who sent it last week. The route was first climbed in 2003 by Barnabe Fernandez. Marin has climbed nearly 10 route 5.14d or harder.
Magnus Midtbo has sent Era Vella in Margalef and gave it a personal grade of 5.14c. Chris Sharma originally graded it 5.14d, but lengthy debates over its difficulty have continued for years. Midtbo has climbed over a dozen routes 5.14d or harder. “Surprisingly fast in pretty damp conditions yesterday,” Midtbo said after his send. “Maybe the best route ever… Grades are not written in stone and it’s not science, so for them to be somewhat accurate we should all keep an open mind.”
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