She’s Only 17 But Just Sent Her First 5.14d
Ainhize Belar had climbed up to 5.14b before redpointing Begi Puntuan after a few weeks of projecting
Spanish climber Ainhize Belar has just ticked her first 5.14d with Begi Puntuan at Etxauri, Spain. The European Cup competitor had previously climbed a handful of 5.14b sport routes, but skipped 5.14c.
Patxi Usobiaga made the first ascent of the steep limestone route in 2006, when Belar was under a year old. On 8a.nu, Belar said, “I tried the route for the first time two months ago. I have had to find my own methods due to the long moves and it has been difficult to find good conditions, but I enjoy a lot the process. It is a style that I am quite good at (crimps) and I got all the moves the first day, except for the last clip to the chain. The clip was very far away and there was a very long move that I thought I was not going to be able to do, but it has been a matter of looking at it well.”
The youngest climber to send 5.14d was Théo Blass in 2022, read about it here. Also last year, Yunxi Chen became the youngest climber to tick 5.14a with her redpoint of China Climb, read about it here.
At the 2022 European Youth Cup, Belar finished 32nd in Female Youth Lead. With her send of Begi Pentuan, Belar grabbed the first female ascent since the FA.
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