Anak Verhoeven Climbs 5.13d Roof Crack
She climbed the stout horizontal route twice, once with kneepads and once without. Watch her send below
Top Belgian climber Anak Verhoeven,, 27, has climbed La Fuerza de la Gravedad at Vadiello, a 5.13d roof crack that she claims to have made the first female ascent of. She shared a video online that breaks down the route into sections, watch below.
La Fuerza de la Gravedad was originally an A2 aid route that was first climbed by Carlos Logroño in 2017 at 5.14a. Subsequent ascents, including a flash by Pete Whittaker dropped the grade to 5.13d. Verhoeven spent four days working on the horizontal line. She led it twice placing all the gear on lead, once with kneepads and then without.
Verhoeven has had an impressive year with her most recent big day coming less than a month ago when she climbed Cosi se Arete 5.14d in Spain twice in one day. A few days later, she climbed De Battre Mon Coeur s’est Arrete 5.14d/15a.
In 2021, Verhoeven announced that she’s leaving the world of competition climber. In September 2017, she made the first ascent of Sang Neuf 5.14d at Pierrot Beach in France, becoming the first woman to make the FA at the grade. She then made the first ascent of Sweet Neuf, which links Sang Neuf with the 25-metre second-pitch of Home Sweet Home 5.14c/d at 5.15a. She became the second woman to climb 5.15a after Margo Hayes and the first to claim a first ascent at the grade. She’s also climbed Joe Mama 5.15 and Las Meninas 5.14d/15a.
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