Michaela Kiersch Just Sent Her Hardest Route Ever
She redpointed Víctima Perfecta 5.15a in Margalef, her second route of the grade
American climber Michaela Kiersch recently sent Víctima Perfecta 5.15a (9a+) at the famous Raco de la Finestra crag in Margalef, Spain. The route is her second 5.15a send ever, her first being the Siurana classic La Rambla in January 2023. With her La Rambla ascent, she became the first woman ever to climb both 5.15a (9a+) and V14 (8B+).
Víctima Perfecta was put up by Spanish legend Ramon Julian back in 2008. Known for his sandbagged grading, Julian originally suggested a difficulty of 5.14c. Tom Bolger repeated the line in fall 2020 and Jorge Díaz-Rullo repeated it spring 2021. Both suggested a grade of 5.14d/15a, although Díaz-Rullo believed the route to be closer to 5.15a.
The route is a link-up, connecting Victimes del Passat 5.14c into Gancho Perfecto 5.14d/15a. Gancho Perfecto has a notoriously difficult ending and several climbers have suggested a grade of 5.15a. “Hardest route to date, especially with a last move crux,” said Kiersch on Instagram. “Lots of blood and tears and self doubt on this one. Longest project so far.”
Earlier in her Margalef trip, Kiersch sent two other hard routes at Raco de la Finestra: pain: Combifetis 5.14b and Victimas del Passat R2 5.14c. She’s climbed three 5.14d routes over the years, including Dreamcatcher in Squamish and Victimes del Futur and Era Vella in Margalef. She’s climbed many V13s and several V14s, including Hailstorm in Utah and New Base Line and Tigris Sit in Magic Wood.
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