This Boulder Was Suggested To Be V17 Then V16 and Now V17
Soudain Seul gets a third ascent and a potential confirmation of the original grade
Photo by: Ben Shaw
Belgium climber Simon Lorenzi, 24, made the first ascent of Soudain Seul, the sit start to The Big Island, at Coquibus Rumont in Fontainebleau at the start of 2021. The first ascent of The Island was in 2008 by Dave Graham, and in 2010 Vincent Pochont added an extension two holds lower and dubbed it The Big Island V15.
The Soudain Seul project had been tried by Jimmy Webb and Jan Hoger. At the time, there was only one other suggested V17 in the world and that was Nalle Hukkataival’s Burden of Dreams from 2016. Last summer, Daniel Woods famously made the first ascent of Return of the Sleepwalker at V17. In 2018, Charles Albert made the FA of No Kapote at V17 but it was downgraded to V15/16 by Nico Pelorson.
The second ascent of Soudain Seul was by Pelorson and he suggested a downgrade from V17 to V16. Pelorson and Lorenzi used a book under their kneepad to stick a crux move. Now, Camille Coudert has announced a repeat of Soudain Seul (without a book under the kneepad) and said that he thinks it’s a soft V17.
For a list of the world’s hardest bouldering problems visit here. Watch Coudert climb Soudain Seul below.
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