Ainhize Belar has repeated Rikar Otegui’s Iñi Ameriketan 9a (+) in Baltzola. Last month the 18-year-old onsighted Txirrin txirran (8b+) and she overtakes the #1 position in the female ranking game from Martina Demmel. (c) Aitziber Narbaiza

“Iñi Ameriketan” is a physical route of power-endurance, with a hard boulder in the middle. It enters with a tense section of dynamic moves and from there, a traverse until a good rest. As soon as you come out, you have 2 hard quickdraws and then the boulder, which you have to force your fingers (you have to get there well). Afterwards, the thing relaxes but you can’t get lost, since it has a technical slab at the end. In short, a very complete and super beautiful route.

Otegui suggested 9a in 2002 which Patxi Usobiaga confirmed doing the first repetition the year after. Then in 2014, Adam Ondra gave it a personal 9a+ grade, which is also how Iban Larrion, in 2016, and Belar called it doing the fourth and fifth ascents.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Well, at first it took me a while to find my own methods for each move and I knew it would be hard to link everything from the ground. But then, I was progressing quite fast in the sessions and each time I arrived with more options to the boulder. Even so, I realized that I would have to be very patient with the conditions, as it started to get wet and I had to wait until I got back from vacation.

I tried it for the first time in February, I used to go on weekends and in April-May I left it with a fall and very close to doing it. Then in June it got wet and I couldn’t give good tries. Finally, I have been able to do it the second day after vacation.

Matteo Marobin has sent Three Degrees of Separation (9a+) in Céüse. “Can't describe how sick this route is... It's just perfect. Definitely a dream come true.” His full story of the ascent describes great comittment and includes a 15 meter fall, his eager to impress Janja and much more. (c) Titouan Marobin

“I was at the crag when Jules sent "Three Degrees of Separation" last June. I was working on "Pornographie," and all I could think about was finishing it so I could try "Three Degrees" myself. It looked amazing to climb, especially the three big dynos. I made up my mind right then it would be my next project. Besides, there had only been four ascents so far, which motivated me even more. I imagined adding my name alongside legends who have made climbing history: Chris Sharma, Adam Ondra, Lucien Martinez, and Jules Marchaland. It made me dream.

Then, after sending "Pornographie" in early June, I went back to Céüse in mid-July to explore and start working on "Three Degrees of Separation." At first, I was incredibly excited, I had watched Chris Sharma’s video and dreamed about this route so many times that I was eager to see if it was as amazing as I imagined. I wasn’t disappointed, in fact, I was immediately blown away by the beauty of the route and the magnitude it exuded. The first time I found myself at the start of the first dyno (the furthest of the three), it felt like I had to make a two-meter leap to reach the hold, it seemed so far away… The starting holds and footholds are okay, you just have to go for it as hard as you can and hope to reach high enough to catch the swing. Since the cliff is at altitude and there’s nothing behind for miles, every time I made that dyno, I felt a rush of adrenaline. It really felt like I was flying and staying in the air for several seconds. So, I unlocked all the moves and succeeded in all three dynos on my first session. I was extremely happy because the route was beautiful, sensational, and suited my skills. From then on, the real effort could begin. By the third session, I was getting comfortable with the sections and finding effective methods. During the fifth session, I managed to link all three dynos in a row. I then started trying from the ground up. I would fall on the first crux (two low percentage moves on three-finger holds). Then I’d start from the beginning of the crux to try and link the first dyno (two quickdraws higher), but each time, I was just a few centimetres short for reaching the hold. However, during the seventh session, the last quickdraw before the first dyno (which was a bit worn) came unclipped and existed out of the bolt during my fall. As a result, I took a fifteen-meter fall down to the level of the first quickdraw and landed hard on my right thigh (which was not very convenient for pushing with all my strength on the dynos…).

Anyway, it was a good time to leave and go back to training. I went to Voiron and stayed with the Etchar family, who hosted me in their Airbnb. We trained in the mornings until early afternoon, and then we napped in front of the Olympics for the rest of the day. A big thanks to the whole family for that week it was awesome! Upon returning to Céüse in early August, I felt good on the route. I immediately managed to complete the first dyno from the crux. It was the first time I had succeeded that, and it represented a significant milestone in the process of working on this route. I then resumed trying from the ground. I finally managed to pass the low percentage crux with the three-finger holds, and I felt comfortable with the second crux with small crimps, so I reached the first dyno, but I was still a few centimetres short of grabbing the jug. Even though the attempts were encouraging, it was hard to believe in a potential ascent this summer. Sometimes I was strong in the sections and linked several dynos from the crux, while other times I could fall everywhere because the route physically exhausted me. On top of that, I struggled to recover energy between the second and third dynos. Even if I rested for a long time, my energy would deplete as soon as I started the five moves to set up, and I couldn’t give enough energy to leap and reach the hold. Anyway, it was already time to leave Céüse.

Next stop: Innsbruck for two weeks of training. During these two weeks, I couldn’t stop thinking about the route. All I had in mind was to improve my endurance and recovery ability so I could regenerate at each rest (especially between the dynos). I felt my form improving with each session. I was eager to return to the route. After two days of rest, I was ready to give my final push of the summer. On my very first attempt, I managed to link the entire end of the route starting from the crimpy crux. Now, I was certain, I could send it this season. I just needed to put in the perfect run to complete it from the ground up. I had a week ahead of me before I had to return to Toulouse for the start of the University. The time frame was tight, it would be tough, but it seemed possible. The only drawback was I fell half of the time in the aleatory move at the start. It drove me crazy because there wasn’t really a way to improve it and it significantly slowed down my progress.

On Friday, August 30th (after falling once again at the same low move), I finally succeeded in the first crux. At that time, I switched to a different mode. I was finally going to unleash all the rage I had accumulated because of that move. I was hungry, so I powered through the crimpy crux and made it to the rest. I felt good and was in the right mindset. I knew Janja was on the ground, watching. From that moment on, my ego took over, I had to impress her. At the set up of the first dyno I knew I’d smash the jump. I thought, "I'll get this for sure." I gave it everything I had, and I stuck it! I was already thrilled, but I had to stay focused because the hardest part was just beginning. Fortunately, I could feel the other climbers on the ground starting to believe in me, and that was going to carry me through to the end. I felt like I was recovering well and was confident about the second dyno, which I hit as planned.

Now, only the last dyno remained. I started to overthink it because I often fell there during practice attempts. I wasn’t sure when to leave the rest, afraid of starting too soon. So, I told myself, "Maybe I'll never make it back here again, I have to give it everything I’ve got to avoid any regrets." So, I pushed on with grit. The five setup moves went well. I gave it all I had left to leap and reach the final hold, and I managed to stick three fingers in the jug and stop after several one-arm swings. It was unreal, I honestly don't know how I held on.

Anyway, the hardest part was done, all that remained was to clip the anchor three quickdraws higher. Even though it wasn’t nearly as difficult, I was still nervous because I had never really taken the time to check the moves, and I definitely didn’t want to make a mistake. But thankfully, everything went smoothly. I took a few seconds after clipping the chains to take it all in, then I let out a huge shout of joy. I never imagined I’d complete the end of the route on my very first time sticking the first dyno from the ground. Yet, that’s exactly what happened. So, we immediately went to celebrate at the pizzeria.

This route was my summer project, but foremost a dream line that I absolutely wanted to climb one day. I'm proud to have done it so quickly (17 sessions) and so early (at 20 years old). Thanks to everyone who supported me during this project. Thanks to all the people I met at the crag who cheered so loudly. It was a game-changer! Special thanks to Lee Min Young, and to Lukas, Konrad, and Thomas, three Italians who came to watch some actions on their rest day. They knew I was alone and offered to belay me. These kinds of unexpected meetings are incredible and make the story even more special.”