No Kpote Only Downgraded from V17 to V15
Nico Pelorson made the third ascent this week
Charles Albert made the first ascent of No Kpote Only at Fontainebleau in France in January 2019 and it was repeated by Ryohei Kameyama earlier this year. Albert graded it V17 and Kameyama suggested V16/17.
Nico Pelorson recently made the third ascent and said it’s a solid V15. Pelorson had climbed one V15 in the past and said that he found better beta that makes the problem easier than on the first ascent. Pelorson, 23, has sent a handful of 5.14d’s with four being first ascents.
Albert’s First Ascent
Albert is known for bouldering without climbing shoes. Kameyama, who had climbed Big Island V15 and Kuzan V15, said that he hadn’t climbed many routes harder. At the time, he was projecting Burden of Dreams, the world’s first V17, first climbed by Nalle Hukkataival.
“I feel Burden of Dreams is more a little difficult than this problem,” said Kameyama. “I think No Kpote is V16.”
Pelorson said, “It took me about eight sessions, seven last year and one this year. I did a lot of bicep and tricep training with Lucien Martinez. I saw Rhyohei send it with a heel instead of a toe like Charles, so I tested this beta and it was much easier. In fact, I only did one move similar to Charles.”
Watch Pelorson’s “solid V15” beta below. There’s currently only one uncontested V17: Burden of Dreams, watch the send below.
Burden of Dreams
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