Ephyra V16 for Elias Iagnemma

The V17 boulderer adds another hard problem to his tick list

Aaron Pardy February 20, 2025

Italian climber Elias Iagnemma recently climbed Ephyra V16 (8C+) in Chironico, Switzerland. Established by Jimmy Webb in 2019, the problem has since been repeated by Niky Ceria, Giuliano Cameroni, Will Bosi, and Yannick Flohé. Ephyra features a wildly difficult lateral move onto the left shoulder. You can watch all previous ascensionists send the problem in the embedded videos below.

“What great emotions these days in Switzerland!” said Iagnemma after his ascent. “For Ephyra I needed 9 sessions in total (3 sessions in almost prohibitive conditions humidity 99% but the rock is very solid and I had no problems trying it). Yesterday on my third attempt from the ground I managed to climb this King Line. This climb gave me beautiful sensations.
What moves! What I thought when I climbed it was: wow I did it incredible, but how extreme was The Big Slamm.”

Several of Ephyra’s ascensionists believe the problem to be at the lower end of V16, with Bosi even suggesting V15/16 for the bloc. “I briefly tried [Ephyra in 2021] and felt like I was too spanned to do the crux move,” said Bosi after his ascent. “Coming back with stronger shoulders I was able to stick the move quite fast and eventually go through it from the ground.”

While on his trip, Iagnemma also sent the Fred Nicole problem Etlinge V14. The line was an old nemesis of his but he dispatched it quickly this trip, sending on his first try from the ground. In January, Iagnemma made the first ascent of The Big Slamm V17 in southern Italy. In March last year, he made the fourth ascent of Burden of Dreams V17, inventing wildly unique beta for his send. Before Burden, he climbed a couple V16s including an FA of Ganesh in Crognaleto, Italy and a repeat of Gioia in Varazze, Italy. He has many V15s and V14s to his name, primarily in Switzerland and Italy. On a rope, he’s made 5.15a first ascents, including Ten and Ultimo Tango a Zagarolo, both in Italy.