Alex Ventajas does Générations Futures (9a)

Alex Ventajas, with over 20 routes 9a and beyond to his name, has completed Générations Futures (9a) in Céüse.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and what went into completing it?
I decided to try this route because I wanted to do something different, not just for the grade but because it inspires me. When I saw the videos of Hugo and Gabri climbing “Générations Futures” I immediately knew this route was what I was looking for. I think climbing it it’s a real process, starting from the approach, the logistic, the meters you’ve to climb to reach the start. And then there is this perfect route: powerful, technical, with a great variety of holds and rock almost untouched. What I liked the most is that you’re so high that you feel in another dimension, you and the wall, with just silence around you.

I just had one week of holidays so I didn’t know if it would be enough to send it. The first day I just did one single try to put the correct gear to reduce rope drug as much as possible, and from the second day I started to try the moves seriously and did some links. I managed to do the moves quickly, but climbing from the ground I realize the route needed lots of endurance and good conditions to secure one tricky boulder on small holds and some bad two finger pockets. Anyway, the route let you fight, so every day I had better feeling climbing and I kept my motivation high!

The day of the send I did a very good first try, falling at the end of the last boulder because my foot slipped! Failing feeling so close put a little pressure on me and the second try wasn’t that good. At the end of the day a storm was coming, the wind started to blow and I decided to give a route a third try! From the very first moves, I felt completely in the flow. The opening 9a section and the boulder cruxes went down smoothly. Then the pump kicked in, and fighting through the next holds till the last easy part felt absolutely epic. I truly think climbing “Génération Futures” has been one of the most emotional moments of my climbing journey!