9b rouhling interviewed in climbing

Webmaster 8a

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There is an excellent interview with the mysterious Fred Rouhling who claimed the world's first 9b back in 1995, in the latest issue of <a href="http://www.climbing.com/current/fredrouhling" target="_blank">Climbing</a>. In short, the article kills all negative rumours and give him all the credit for his 9b, Akira. <a href="http://www.8a.nu/eng/articles/akira.shtml" target="main">In 2001, we at www.8a.nu wrote a short article with the same theme - as american magazines claimed Realization, 9a+ to be the hardest route in the world</a> The only thing the article in Climbing as well as the 8a.nu article miss is why he graded the route 9b and not 9a or 9a+? Anyhow it seemed correct that Rouhling were right with giving Akira 9b, back in 1995. We should thank him and also Bernabe Fernandez having claimed 9b+ this year. It's just the brave guys who are willing to expand the grading scale as they know that rumours and critiscism automatically will appear!

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Jonas Tamulionis

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Great article!!! Now I am sure. He send it. Well done Fred!

Lars r

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Vlad Voroninski

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I think it's arrogant of someone to claim a grade on an FA that is way beyond what is out there for the time period. After all, the first ascent is usually the hardest. There is no beta from others and there is the even bigger issue of being unsure of whether the climb is possible or not. Just because it was the hardest climb he did, doesn't mean it's a quantum leap in it's grade. The bottom line is that it wasn't bravery that caused Fred to claim the grade but his EGO.

Jean-Marc Winckel

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Who cares about grades in this difficulty. Fred is a damn good climber and RESPECT for what he did. Who cares wether it is 9a+ 9b 9b+?? It's a damn difficult route, and he just PROPOSED the grade of 9b and no one yet managed to repeat it even with the chipped holes. So instead of saying all the time "Fred Rouhling is a liar" or "9b is not possible" or other jalous remarks go and try to redpoint the route and THEN you can open your mouth and give your own opinion about the grade, just THEN. Is it so difficult to understand this and behave wise? So where's the problem actually with Fred proposing 9b for Akira?

lars

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Is ther an interview with Wolfgang Gullik?

Lukas Sam

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As you maybe know he died more than 10 years ago!

lars

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well he die, but is ther an intervew?

Lukas Sam

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I don't know but there is an excellent book about him from Tilmann Hepp. There you find many comments and interviews with him!

Ziga Erman

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Good reading! Love the ending, it opens the theme a bit and shoves a little scepticism. Cant wait to read obout the second ascent and the opinions of the possible climber.

Steve Lewis

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One thing in that article I found strange was that Rouling couldn't do the V7 start to Realisation. That's 6 or 7 grades below what he supposed to climb! Maybe it wasn't his style but 6 or 7 grades below seems a lot. Maybe he was having a bad day - but then why choose a bad day to try Realisation?