Will Bosi Sends Return of the Sleepwalker V17
The Scottish climber made the second ascent of the boulder after only a dozen sessions
Will Bosi, 25, has made the second ascent of Return of the Sleepwalker V17 at Red Rocks after 12 sessions, this is his third boulder at the grade. The first ascent was by Daniel Woods in 2021.
About his send, Bosi said, “Sending Sleepwalker 8C/V15 in only three days completely blew my mind and having a long time left on the trip, I was pretty confident I could have a good stab at getting Return of the Sleepwalker done. In the last session before the send, everything just clicked. I was feeling confident but as the weather forecast looked bleak with a storm closing in, I was only able to take one rest day before heading back out for another session. I still felt quite tired so I was unsure about even trying it. However, after warming up, the moves were feeling great and I decided to give it a go. The first attempt went perfectly up to the sloper but then I really messed up the next move through to the slot and almost dropped it. Somehow, I recovered and hit the last hard move perfectly. Pulling onto the slab was incredible and I had to take a minute to get my breath back before heading up to the top.”
About the grade, Bosi said, “Grade wise I still believe the stand start is only 8C/V15 but I do think the sit start adds enough for it to remain 9A/V17. In comparison to the other climbs I have done at this grade, I think Return of the Sleepwalker comes in around the bottom end of the grade. Burden of Dreams was harder but it is such a different style. I think Return probably came in harder than Alphane. Currently, I am very unsure about the distinction between 8C+ and 9A and I think it will take some time and a broader consensus of climbers operating at this level to get the distinction right.”
Bosi’s other V17 ascents include Shawn Raboutou’s Alphane in Chironico in 2022 and Nalle Hukkataival’s Burden of Dreams in Lappnor in 2023. Simon Lorenzi has also climbed three V17 problems with Soudain Seul in Fontainebleau in 2021, Alphane and Burden of Dreams in 2023.
Sleepwalker V15
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