11 June 2024
Anak Verhoevenโs story of climbing a 9b twice
Anak Verhoeven sent La Planta de Shiva (9b) last month, twice. Here is her story. (c) Jona Oberle
โThis spring I traveled to Villanueva del Rosario in Spain with a goal in mind: to check out a 9b called La Planta de Shiva. Itโs a route of about 45 meters and the main crux is a long traverse on tiny holds. I knew that I might not be capable of sending it within this trip and that I might have to train for it specifically and then come back later to try and send.
Figuring out all the movements was a tough process, but step by step I felt that I was getting closer until I had found all my beta and knew that I was ready for redpoint attempts. I had 3 good tries and reached a new highpoint every time. And then it happened: on my 4th attempt I sent the route and almost couldnโt believe that I had just done my first 9b! A dream come true!
A couple days later, I decided to give myself a personal challenge by trying to send the route again, but this time without kneepads. I felt less pressure than during the first send and the no-kneepad-send worked out! What an experience...
Iโm so glad and relieved that it was possible to finish the project this trip and Iโm quite surprised that I even got such a special bonus send. A lot to be grateful for!โ
โThis spring I traveled to Villanueva del Rosario in Spain with a goal in mind: to check out a 9b called La Planta de Shiva. Itโs a route of about 45 meters and the main crux is a long traverse on tiny holds. I knew that I might not be capable of sending it within this trip and that I might have to train for it specifically and then come back later to try and send.
Figuring out all the movements was a tough process, but step by step I felt that I was getting closer until I had found all my beta and knew that I was ready for redpoint attempts. I had 3 good tries and reached a new highpoint every time. And then it happened: on my 4th attempt I sent the route and almost couldnโt believe that I had just done my first 9b! A dream come true!
A couple days later, I decided to give myself a personal challenge by trying to send the route again, but this time without kneepads. I felt less pressure than during the first send and the no-kneepad-send worked out! What an experience...
Iโm so glad and relieved that it was possible to finish the project this trip and Iโm quite surprised that I even got such a special bonus send. A lot to be grateful for!โ
14 comments
Sort by:
Date
Reply
Most commented
Jorge Diaz-Rullo reports on Instagram that he has made the first ascent of Cafe Colombia in Margalef. At 27, heโs already stacked four 9b+ sends and now heโs adโฆ
26 January 2026
Sean Bailey FAโs Duality of Man (9c)
Sean Bailey reports on Instagram that he has done the first ascent of Duality of Man (9c) in Dry Canyon. โ After four total years and three seasons of climbing,โฆ
23 March 2026
Jorge Diaz-Rullo proposes 9c for Cafรฉ Colombia
Jorge Diaz-Rullo elaborates on the reasons for him to suggest 9c for Cafรฉ Colombia on Instagram, which he took down last week after projecting it for 240 sessioโฆ
Related
9 November 2024
Andrea Chelleris, 15, FAโs Mangarbo Natural (9a+)
Andrea Chelleris has done Mangarbo Natural (9a+) in Villanueva del Rosario, without using the drilled pockets. โDid it natural like Adam so without taking the aโฆ
Anak Verhoeven reports on Instagram that she has completed La Planta de Shiva (9b) in Villanueva del Rosario. Adam Ondra made the FA back in 2011 of the overhanโฆ
8 November 2025
Martin Tekles does La Planta de Shiva (9b)
Martin Tekles, with two 9a+โ under his belt, has sent La Planta de Shiva (9b) in Villanueva del Rosario, which Adam Ondra did the FA of in 2011. โFinally it is โฆ
Related news
9 November 2024
Andrea Chelleris, 15, FAโs Mangarbo Natural (9a+)
Andrea Chelleris has done Mangarbo Natural (9a+) in Villanueva del Rosario, without using the drilled pockets. โDid it natural like Adam so without taking the aโฆ
Anak Verhoeven reports on Instagram that she has completed La Planta de Shiva (9b) in Villanueva del Rosario. Adam Ondra made the FA back in 2011 of the overhanโฆ
8 November 2025
Martin Tekles does La Planta de Shiva (9b)
Martin Tekles, with two 9a+โ under his belt, has sent La Planta de Shiva (9b) in Villanueva del Rosario, which Adam Ondra did the FA of in 2011. โFinally it is โฆ
Favorites
8 June 2026
Janja Garnbret does Bibliographie (9b+)
Janja Garnbret has added another milestone to her remarkable climbing career by becoming the first woman to climb Bibliographie (9b+) in Cรฉรผse, one of the hardeโฆ
Jorge Diaz-Rullo reports on Instagram that he has made the first ascent of Cafe Colombia in Margalef. At 27, heโs already stacked four 9b+ sends and now heโs adโฆ
16 March 2026
Ondra flashes 3*8C in two weeks
โI stopped focusing on competition bouldering after last yearโs World Cup in Prague, partly because I can already feel it on my body, especially in my shoulders. The modern competition style, with a lot of jumping from one hold to another, is very demanding for the shoulders.
Outdoor bouldering isโฆ