Boulderer Flashes a Classic V14 in Rocklands
Amandla is one of the most-climbed crimp test-piece problems at South Africa's Rocklands
German boulderer Florian Wientjes has flashed Amandla in Rocklands. The classic problem has been climbed more than 30 times since the first ascent by Fred Nicole in 2005.
Amandla is a fingery problem that heads up an overhanging face with small crimps. Nicole had originally graded it V15, but it became slightly easier after a hold broke and was re-graded to V14.
Dave Graham made a flash attempt in 2012 and then sent after a 45 minute rest. “It was a magical moment,” said Graham, “a boulder I had waited years to try, and a successful execution, no punting was involved.”
In August 2015, Isabelle Faus became the fifth woman to climb V14 with a repeat of Amandla, after Tomoko Ogawa, Ashima Shiraishi, Shauna Coxsey and Alex Puccio had already ticked the grade. Faus has now climbed several V14s, including Emasculator, Crème de la Crumb Sit, Sinwav, Memory is Parallax, The Wheel of Chaos and Shadow Walker.
Wientjes, who had previously climbed Hazel Grace V15, Crystal Ship V15, Bügeleisen SDS V15 and Bokassa’s Fridge SDS V15, said that he’d watched some videos of other climbers on Amandla before his flash attempt.
Phillip Schaal on Amandla
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
