Anak Verhoeven ticks Cosi se Arete (9a)

Anak Verhoeven reports on Instagram that she has completed Cosi se Arete (9a) in Rodellar. She wound up doing the route two times in one day, finishing off her second redpoint of it by headlamp. In total, the former very successful competition climber has done a dozen routes 9a and harder. More info to come!

"So, I waited until it was completely dark and, in the meantime, I attached my headlamp to my tanktop with a string I had found in my backpack (see last photo). This way it couldn’t drop down in the water and I could also place it back on my head with one hand (I made sure I practiced that first 😄) in case I knocked it off my head. Then I started climbing with a big black void underneath and a circle of light around my head. When looking down I saw the small speck of light from my headlamp reflected in the river. It felt great! I was a little more tired than during the daylight send and I could feel the humidity of the evening. The wall was full of little spiders that had come out at night. I had to move slightly more slowly to see all the holds and be precise, but I just kept going and going and going… 
I passed the first crux, and the second one. I was sure now that I could do it, but the endurance moves at the end are relentless. A few more movements to go… and I clipped the anchor a second time in the same day! Well, that hadn’t quite been the initial plan when I arrived at the crag that day. But what an amazing, impromptu experience... And that crazy idea I had to climb a 50-meter 9a in the dark actually turned out to be possible. 😆"

How did you prepare for the trip?
I prepared for this trip by training in the gym (climbing lead routes) and at home (power/strength training). I was home for about 3,5 months with an ankle injury. So, I first climbed on one leg for a bit, then I could carefully use both feet again without placing left heel hooks and finally, I was able to climb in a normal way again.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I worked the moves of the route for 4 or 5 sessions, before doing a first unplanned attempt on a day I had initially wanted to just make some bigger links. I climbed well and fell high up in the last crux due to an issue with a tickmark (and also a horizontally hanging quickdraw karabiner that stuck right into my eye at the hardest move of the route 😅). 2 days later I sent the route in my second redpoint attempt. And a few hours later I sent it again, but in the dark with a headlamp.