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Katie Lamb Sends V14 in Rocklands

The top American boulderer adds another hard problem to her tick list

Katie Lamb, 25, has one of the world’s most impressive bouldering résumés. A professional climber and clean energy data scientist, Lamb has sent five V14’s, 12 V13’s, 24 V12’s, 33 V11’s, and 80 V10’s, according to her 8a.nu profile. In Summer 2022, she went on a trip to Rocklands, South Africa. A video was just released by La Sportiva detailing the trip and her send of Book Club V14.

A couple weeks before her Rocklands trip, Lamb heartbreakingly ruptured her A4 pulley in her left ring finger. Considering her crimp strength to be her greatest climbing asset, she had to reevaluate her expectations for the trip. She ended up focusing her efforts on Book Club, an overhanging, wavy crack line that features powerful moves off slopers and technical footwork using small holds and odd jams. Although Lamb had climbed multiple V14’s in the past, Book Club was not a problem that she believed fit her style as it contained no hard crimping. She pulled off the beautiful climb in the end, proving that times of injury are a perfect opportunity to step outside your comfort zone.

Even though she was nursing a pulley injury, Lamb had a very successful trip to Rocklands. In addition to Book Club she also sent Quintessential V13, Green Mamba V12, and Ubuntu V12. In July 2021, Lamb sent her first V14, the famous Jade in Rocky Mountain National Park. Later that year she sent New Base Line V14 in Magic Wood, Switzerland. In the first half of 2022, she sent Direct North V14 in the Buttermilks and The Penrose Step in Leavenworth, Washington.

 

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