13-Year-Old Leo Cea Climbs Puro Dreaming 5.14c/d
The young Chilean climber has now sent ten routes 5.14c or harder
On December 22, 13-year-old Leo Cea climbed Puro Dreaming 5.14c/d in Arco, Italy. The route was established by Adam Ondra in February 2018. Many top climbers have since sent line, including Stefano Ghisolfi, Laura Rogora, Filip Schenck, and Gio Placci, among others. Ondra initially graded the route 5.14d, but he did not use kneepads. Now, most of its ascensionists agree that with the use of kneepads, the route is 5.14c instead.
This year, on October 24, Janja Garnbret flashed Puro Dreaming, and her ascent stoked much conversation about the grade of the route. She sent the route without kneepads and skipped a rest that other climbers use on Athena, an adjacent route. The matter of the grade was made more significant because this was possibly the first time a female climber had flashed 5.14d.
“Last week I had the great privilege of watching Garnbret semi-onsighting Puro Dreaming in Massone’s Il Pueblo sector,” said Björn Pohl, Garnbret’s photographer, in an interview. “But what about the grade? Was this the first-ever [5.14d] flash by a female climber? The guidebook says [5.14d], but after consulting the web, it turned out some sources suggests it has been downgraded to [5.14c], because kneepads make the route easier. Adam Ondra, who made the FA, also says he thought it was [5.14c] nowadays.
“However — Janja didn’t use kneepads. Plus, a hold has reportedly broken recently, perhaps making the route slightly harder again. Personally, I think some routes deserve two grades: one for ascents with kneepads, or whichever equipment you want, and one without. Change and Bibliography are other examples — both first ascended without kneepads, later downgraded after repeats with them. So, in my view, I witnessed the first-ever 9a flash by a woman — even if it might not go down in history as such. Regardless, one thing’s certain: Janja will both flash and onsight [5.14d] soon. And that won’t be her limit — not even close.”
Cea used a kneepad for his Puro Dreaming ascent, but he proposed a grade of 5.14c/d or 5.14d soft, given his height. He took 5.14c for the route on his 8a.nu page. The young Chilean climber has an incredibly impressive ticklist. In March 2024, at 11 years old, he climbed his first 5.14d—a second ascent of Tecnoking in Las Chilcas, Chile. Later, in November 2024 he ticked his second of the grade, Era Vella in Margalef, Spain. He then made the first ascent of Tecnoqueen 5.14d, a variation of Tecnoking, in May 2025. He climbed the ultra classic Trip Tik Tonik 5.14d in Gorges du Loup, France in August of this year. On November 8, 2025, he climbed Víctimas Pérez 5.14d in Margalef.
