Mateusz Haladaj is First Polish Climber to Send 5.15!

Mateusz Haladaj is a 29-year-old Polish climber who recently sent his long-time project, Papichulo 5.15a, in Oliana this week.

“So happy to climb that beast,” wrote Haladaj on 8a.nu who had climbed eight 5.14ds leading up to the ascent. “The 45 metres of sustained climbing seemed to be my anti-style. Proud to be the first Pole to climb 5.15a.”

The route was first climbed by Chris Sharma and has had a number of repeats by top climbers, including by Magnus Midtboe, Domen Schkofitz, Joe Kinder, Sachi Amma, Ramonet and Adam Ondra. According to 8a.nu, it is the most repeated 5.15a in the world.

Watch Sharma working Papichulo:

In 2011, Bernadette McDonald wrote Freedom Climbers, which tells the story of a group of Polish climbers who emerged from under the blanket of oppression following the Second World War to become the world’s leading Himalayan climbers.

Visit here for more on Freedom Climbers.