The month of December leads us, year after year, to make great plans for the future but also to draw a summary of all that happened in the year that is about to end. In addition to our personal accomplishments and small improvements, we always like to look at the greatest achievements of world-class climbers.
Their enthusiasm and their challenges beyond what we consider "insuperable limits" give us the “fuel” and motivation to dream big. So here’s a list of ten climbers and climbers, World Cup boulderers, trad and big wall specialists who have particularly inspired us and to whom we look with admiration trying to take inspiration for a winning - and full of new satisfactions - year.
Sport climbing
Laura Rogora, Lapsus 9a+ (Andonno, Italy)
If there is a climber who never fails to amaze us is Laura Rogora: determined in her goals, she is an example of tenacity and winning attitude. For all athletes who are investing heavily in the World Cup competitions and in a possible qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics Games it is difficult to bring home also big performances on the rock: but not if your name is Laura Rogora. After gaining a great third place in the combined Lead&Boulder Qualifier in Laval - which has seen her get a piece of the Olympic dream -, she decided to make a stop in Andonno, near Cuneo, to have some attempts on "Lapsus", the 9b route freed by Stefano Ghisolfi in 2015. And she did it together with other “local specialties such as Cobra Reale, 8c+/9a, Noi 8b+ and some good fights on Calibro 38, 8c+. For Lapsus, who was then unanimously revalued 9a+, this is the first female repetition.
Stefano Ghisolfi, Excalibur 9b+ (Arco, Italy)
We named Stefano Ghisolfi and we come back to him now to talk about Excalibur, 9b+, now one of the most difficult sport climbing routes in Italy. Stefano had tried this old project together with Will Bosi, Jakob Schubert and Adam Ondra, managing to free it in February in an exploit of extraordinary finger strength. The route is located in the crag of Drena ad Arco, on a wall that looks smooth but well equipped with the smallest crimps ever seen, thus letting it become a masterpiece of strength and intensity. In addition to the performance of Stefano Ghisolfi, Excalibur also exists thanks to the farsighted vision of its bolters Cristian Dorigatti and Morris Fontanari.
Seb Bouin, Bibliographie 9b+ (Céüse, France)
Every year we draw up our list of climbers who have most inspired us during the last twelve months, and every year we inevitably add the name of Seb Bouin. After an incredible First Ascent like that of DNA in 2022, it could also have been difficult to reaffirm himself as one of the most influential climbers of 2023. But despite that, this year he has decided to attempt Bibliographie, signing the fourth repetition after those of Stefano Ghisolfi and Sean Bailey and confirming the difficulty of 9b+. But his crazy year doesn’t end certainly here: after having freed in flash style an old project in the crag of Auban in Verdon - for which he proposed the grade of 8c+ - he bolted and freed, always in the same crag, Jamming Destruction, a route for which he suggests the difficulty of 9a+/9b. Similarly, he managed to free a new route at the Pic Saint Loup, Ariégeois Cœur Loyal, a project that dates back to a few years ago, and for which he proposed the grade of 9b. And now? His latest videos take him to Flatanger, in an attempt to solve, perhaps, the hardest routes of the crag. As if to say that we will definitely talk about him at the end of next year!
Seb Bouin repeats Bibliographie 9b+, credit Clarisse Bompard
Jakob Schubert , Project Big => BIG 9c (Flatanger, Norway)
Last year we concluded the list of the ten most interesting climbers of 2022 with Jakob Schubert who, in addition to the noticeable first ascents and repetitions, was struggling with the attempts on Project Big, the mega project of the Flatanger cave that still had to be solved. And, as in the best stories with a happy ending, Project Big’s First Ascent has arrived just this year, as we had guessed. Jakob Schubert’s reflections on the correct degree to be attributed to the route also took into account the precious point of view of Adam Ondra: they immediately had hypothesized 9c together, then they supposed it could also be “just” 9b+, then returning to their initial idea of the futuristic 9c difficulty. What is absolutely out of the ordinary of Jakob Schubert is that we could have included him in the same way in the Competitions or Bouldering section: the super finalist of the Tokyo Olympics in fact managed to qualify to the Pairgi Olympics, and decided to close the year "with a bang". Taking advantage of the decidedly sparkling conditions of the Ticino winter, he signed the fifth repeat of Alphane , the 9A boulder problem freed in 2022 by Shawn Raboutou. Happy Christmas to you!
TRAD
Barbara Zangerl, Meltdown 8c+ trad (Yosemite, USA)
The sporting career of Barbara Zangerl is one of the most impressive ever, above all for the different scenarios in which she manages to excel and to sign increasingly demanding climbs. This year she succeeded in repeating Meltdown, one of the most difficult single-pitch trad in the world, with the impressive grade of 8c+. The route, freed in 2008 by Beth Rodden, is only at its fourth repetition ever, as well as - and at this point it seems almost obvious - at its first female repetition. The route, as well as being extremely hard in every section, is also of an absolute beauty, with delicate movements and small feet; in addition to requiring all the available physical energies, it is also and above all an intense mental battle, one of those many aspects where Barbara is unbeatable.
Barbara Zangerl, Meltdown credit Ben Neilson
Pete Whittaker, Crown Royale 9a trad (Profile Wall Jøssingfjord, Norway)
We are still talking about trad climbing with a crazy performance by Pete Whittaker, part of the "Wide Boyz'' team together with Tom Randall of Lattice Training. The "king line" climbed by Pete Whittaker is a journey of one hundred meters that connects two already existent routes of the Profile Wall in Jössingfjord. Over the last years Pete has tried and repeated both the routes, then deciding to link them in an epic feat, especially because of the choice to climb the last twenty meters in free solo. The choice was the "logical" consequence of managing the route as if it were a single length, and so using an 80-meter rope and then climbing the last 20 meters in free solo style. It is a challenging climb, only suitable for a few fearless climbers. Crown Royale is majestic already in the name: the line that connects Crown Jewel with Eigerdosis requires an excellent level of both fissure climbing and classic sports climbing. The mix between the two styles combined with the inclination of the wall, the length and all the "side aspects” that such a climb involves - one on all the weight of the rope and equipment - makes this line one of the most extreme trad routes in the world.
Pete Whittaker, Crown Royale, credits Patagonia _ Andrew Burr
BOULDER
Katie Lamb, first female of Box Therapy 8C+ first female (Rocky Mountain National Park, USA)
This year the world of women’s bouldering had an interesting "boost" with the ascent of the first female 8C+. The protagonist is not one of the most mediatic, and her name may be unknown to most: we are talking about Katie Lamb, a true force of nature that in reality had already taken home the first female ascent of Spectre, the mystical 8B of Dave Graham. As often happens with the "first repetitions" and "first female ascent" of very difficult climbs or boulders, also Box Therapy has then seen a second female repetition in a short time, signed Brooke Raboutou.
Will Bosi, first repeat of Burden of Dreams (Lappnor, Finland)
For years Burden of Dreams has remained outside of the climbing news, although it has continued to represent one of the highest lines in the bouldering world. After seven years Will Bosi decided to put Burden of Dreams on his wish list, to the point of creating a faithful "replica" of the key holds and the most difficult movements of the boulder. A strategy that proved successful and that led him to climb Burden of Dreams in April, after having tried it together with Stefano Ghisolfi and Shawn Raboutou. And, above all, to confirm the impressive difficulty.
Will Bosi, Burden of dreams credits Diego Borello
COMPETITIONS
Mickael Mawem, Bouldering World Champion
Although he is one of the certainties of the French National bouldering team, and one of the few who managed to get a ticket for Tokyo 2023 Olympic Games, we dare to suppose that not many of us would have bet on his victory of the Bouldering World Champion title. With this victory he was one of the absolute protagonists of the World Climbing Championships in Bern 2023, and he also achieved one of his best results ever. An inspiration for many climbers and athletes who live with excessive concern the passing of years and the turning point in their competitive performance "once we’re over thirty".
Mickael MAWEM of France wins Bouldering World Championship, Credits IFSC Media Gallery
Oriane Bertone, qualifies for the Olympics
Her career is a constant and well-deserved ascent, a growing awareness of her own skills that can express at their best when supported by a particularly exuberant home audience. Having had an excellent competition season in 2022, she certainly achieved his main goal in 2023, gaining a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics in the Laval World Cup. Tears everywhere and a pass to the Olympics have come after a crazy victory of her first Gold Medal in the Bouldering World Cup in Prague, making the unbeatable Janja Garnbret slide to second place. An exceptional year for an athlete who will be on our list of "top ten climbers" for many more years to come.
Oriane Bertone in Laval, credits Jan Virt IFSC