Chaehyun Seo Flashes 5.14a/b in Oliana
The comp climbing star flashed El Gran Blau 5.14a/b on her 22nd birthday
Chaehyun Seo recently arrived in Oliana, Spain, and on her first day, she flashed El Gran Blau 5.14a/b. The 50-metre endurance route saw its first ascent in 2008 by Dani Andrada. Many top climbers have since clipped the chains, including Laura Rogora, Jorge Diaz-Rullo, Dylan Chuat, and Dave Graham, among others. It has only seen one other flash by Jakob Schubert.
“First day in Oliana,” reported Seo on Instagram. “First climbing day, also my b-day, and I flashed El Gran Blau [5.14a/b].” Most climbers have called the route 5.14a, but some consider it 5.14a/b or even 5.14b.
In November of 2022, Seo onsighted L’Antagonista 5.14b, her first onsight of the grade. Her ascent of L’Antagonista made her the second woman in history to onsight 5.14b, the first was Janja Garnbret. In late 2024, she clipped the chains on Open Your Mind Direct L1 5.14d and on her last day, onsighted the ultra-popular Fish Eye 5.14b. Seo’s hardest redpoint is La Rambla 5.15a, which she ascended in 2022 in only five days and seven tries.
Seo is one of the most formidable climbers on the World Cup circuit, often making finals and even besting Olympic gold medalist Janja Garnbret. This year, Seo placed second overall in the Lead World Cup season. It was her second silver for the overall Lead season, her first being in 2022, and in 2019, she won gold. She placed third this at year’s Lead World Championships, third at the 2023 Championships in Bern, and first in 2021 in Moscow.
