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Nalle Hukkataival Sends First Ever V17

October 24, 2016
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Nalle Hukkataival sent the “Lappnor Project” in Finland on Sun. Oct. 23 and named it Burden of Dreams V17 (9A). The hard problem had been attempted by some of the world’s best boulderers and it took Hukkataival four years. Below are two posts by Hukkataival, a short video (click on it to play) before the send and a photo after the send.

Things are moving forward with the Lappnor project once again! It's definitely a humbling process every time. Weeks and weeks of gruelling work just to get back to the level of the last years – and hopefully further. It takes constant effort to keep telling yourself that it's working when it certainly doesn't always seem like it. The only way I know how is to try to flip everything into a positive. Try to turn a blind eye to the fact that you fall on the third move and instead be happy that you did two moves. But it's easier said than done. The unconscious mind is a tough enemy. Our rational mind understands that without failure there is no success. But our unconscious mind wants none of that and will make it's opinion known often and loudly. Rather than a physical challenge, it's become a mental exercise above all. Some days – and those are usually the good days – it's mostly about the physical action of working with your body on the rock. My last session was like that. Doing moves. Making links. Feeling the control and the strength that wasn't there before. It's working. @blackdiamond @lasportivagram @island.io #liveclimbrepeat

A video posted by Nalle Hukkataival (@nalle_hukkataival) on

Yesterday I had another session on the Lappnor project. The routine that goes into it after all this time isn’t all that exciting; the same warm up, driving an hour on the same road, brushing the all too familiar holds, re-warming up, systematically trying the same sequences in the same order. Some days you feel strong and confident and get totally shut down. Other days you’re not feeling a 100 percent and it could be the best session you’ve had. All logic seems to have gone out the window a long time ago. Many sessions I wish I could forget. Can’t do a move I’ve done countless of times before. Last highpoint was a year ago. Weeks and months turned into years of uncertainty and self-doubt. Trying to keep that little spark of hope in the back of your mind alive. Walking up to the boulder with all the positivity I can muster, I still can’t ignore what the boulder has become to represent; failure of varying degrees. Sitting under the boulder I can feel the weight of it. Pulling on always feels like a déjà vu, like the thousands of times before. It always starts the same way and ends the same way. Except this time. This time was different. Snap to reality, I’m hanging on the lip of the boulder, disoriented, heart racing. Contain the panic. I’m on top of the boulder trying to grasp how I got there. Lots of feelings coinciding; surprise, relief, happiness, confusion. As reality hits that quickly turns into ecstatic happiness with a dash of disbelief. Waking up today I can’t help but look at the world with different eyes. Having achieved the first ascent of Burden of Dreams marks a new level in my climbing. With a handful of existing 8C+ boulders in the world, proposing 9A is the logical step. Huge thanks to my friend Marko Siivinen for showing me the line! What a journey it’s been! Stay tuned for a film of the whole story with the boulder. It will be something extraordinary. @blackdiamond @lasportivagram #liveclimbrepeat #weareisland

A photo posted by Nalle Hukkataival (@nalle_hukkataival) on