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News from the World of V15 First Ascents and Repeats

A new V15 in Red Rocks and hard repeats over seas

While big sends have been going down on Yosemite big walls and Rockies ice lines, boulderers have been ticking difficult problems in fall conditions.

Jernej Kruder sent his fourth V15 with a climb of Dreamtime in Switzerland. He wrote on 8a.nu, “On the first few sessions already falling from the last move. I can’t believe I needed more than 16 days for this one. Low percentage moves made it difficult for me, even though they didn’t feel too hard. Dream line.” Kruder is one of the world’s leading comp climbers and might be competing in the Olympics next year.

Thomas Lindinger made the third ascent of Toni Lamprecht’s Bokassa’s Frigde – Assassin Monkey and Man, a V16 that Lindinger suggested is a V15. On 8a.nu, he wrote, “I started to work Bokassas last autumn when Chris Rauch figured out a shorty beta for the stand. Being able to climb the stand also made me think about the V15 for the first time. It took me five sessions this season to get it done Overall about 10 to 15 sessions I guess. I think the key to climb my first V15 was the possibility to try it often as it isn’t far away from Munich and that it fits my style perfectly.”

Top boulderer, Giuliano Cameroni, who has sent 15 problems V15 or harder has made the first ascent of Gran Paradiso V15/16. He said after, “Few weeks ago, on the first day in Valle dell’Orco, Bernd Zangerl showed me this incredible project, one of the most unique line I’ve seen on granite: stem gem intro on a super steep dihedral is followed by a very powerful shoulder section that leads into Bravirabi, a five-stars highball.”

Comp climbers Zach Galla and Drew Ruana have made the first ascent of Squoze V15 in Red Rocks. Ruana said after, “One of the hardest boulders I’ve done, stoked to finally put it down. This one gave me a lot of mental battles, I probably blew the last hard move more than 10 times before actually sending it.”

Ryuichi Murai recently made the first ascent of United V16. “”Finally finished off my nemesis project yesterday,” he said. “Everything worked out well. Perfect temperature, perfect friction, and perfect climbing, though top-out was unstable.”

Keenan Takahashi repeated Asagimadara in Japan, his fourth V15. The route was first climbed by Tokio Muroi. “A dream line completed,” he said. “Despite not being a climbing trip, my only goal was to try Tokio Muroi’s legendary highball.⁣⁣⁣ Once I saw it, I vowed to do what was necessary to climb it at some point. Fortunately, that moment came quickly.” Also in Japan, Akira Wadu repeated Hydrangea V15, watch below.

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