24 October 2020

55+ guys will do 9a within 10 years

Climbing is unique when it comes to performances and age. There is no other sport where you can perform on a world-class level in between age 9 and 50. Probably we will not regularly see 9-year-old kids doing 9a but most likely several guys 55+ will do 9a within ten years. Among the ladies, Muriel Sarkany did Era Vella 9a (8c+) at 43 but within ten years, we just might have several 50+ female doing 8c+. Among the male, Chuck Odette having done an 8c (b+) being 64-year-old should have the "world record" of grade relative to age.

The reasons why climbing is unique in this sense are mainly that kids benefit from having smaller fingers and also that they can not get pumped as adults. Talking about the high performing old boys, they take advantage of climbing being a technical, tactical and mental sport. Anyone who wants to bet against Dani Andrada does a 9a in 2030?
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