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Barbara Zangerl in Siurana Sends Her First 5.14c

Leading Austrian climber Barbara Zangerl has sent her hardest sport climb to date with a tick of Chikane 5.14c in Siurana, Spain. After her send, she said, “It was such a good battle for a great line. One of those routes i always wanted to climb. I am so happy that Chikane 5.14c didn’t kick me off today. Feels so good to enjoy the simple life here in Spain and get back into sport climbing mode.”

In 2008, Zangerl became the first woman to send a Pura Vida V13 in Switzerland. She then became the first woman to climb the Alpine Trilogy, which includes Des Kaisers neue Kleider 5.14a 250m, Silbergeier 5.14a 240m and the 11-pitch End of Silence 5.14a. She was also the first woman to send the run-out Prinzip Huffnung 5.13+R. Last fall, Zangerl and Jacapo Larcher freed Zodiac Wall 5.13d and the year before they sent El Nino 5.13c A0 on El Cap.

Zangerl got into climbing at 14 when her brother took her climbing. They went to a bouldering gym in Flirsch, Austria. She spent the next six years touring Europe and bouldering. In 2009, she had a herniated vertebral disc and she had to stop bouldering. It was then that she started sport climbing.

“Today I can say that it is more motivating for me to combine everything and enjoy and explore the different styles of climbing,” said Zangerl. “I love being outdoors and climbing alpine, crag and big multi-pitch. Climbing and the lifestyle involved are important to me. And I like to rise to a challenge and master it. Whenever I manage something that is at my personal limit, it’s an incredible feeling that encourages me to carry on and to explore new boundaries.”

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