Caro Ciavaldini does Le Voyage (8b+) trad
“I am resting at the middle break, 2/3 up "Le Voyage". For the very first time, I have passed the second crux, a very long and technical 7A+ boulder, quite a few meters above my last protection, a No. 6 RP. Just before beginning the crux, I heard James, 4-year-old Arthur, and 2-year-old Zozo cheering me from below. James and the kids were hiding before, maybe because James was hoping to give me more space to focus, as Zozo constantly asks for me today. But right before the crux, I wanted them to be there. Being a mom is disturbing for your climbing, but at the same time, they are my people. I also look straight up at Raph, who is hanging on a static… He is here today as he was supposed to film James in "Bon Voyage," his latest hard route, and has made the most of it to film my attempt. Carl and Antoine are here too, belaying and taking more video from below. Carl made some light jokes as I was putting my climbing shoes on, and I was super aware that he was trying, and succeeding, to create just the right mood for me. It does really matter to me to have these people here today. I can feel them gently pushing me up.
I have done the hardest by far, and it has taken me 2 years to be where I am today. 2 years to get back from baby number 2, with the constant help of Maddie Cope and Lattice. Getting pregnant, people say, isn’t an injury… I would say it’s way worse for your climbing than any pulley (I had 2) or other climber’s injury.
"Le Voyage" finishes with a last easy section on fairly bad rock and a final crack around 7b+, from which you would hate yourself if you fell… yet you could. I am resting and trying to channel my internal dialogue. I have what it takes, but I need to climb well. Emotions are always there… fear of failing, fear of breaking a hold and failing, fear of over-gripping, of slipping… My brain won’t stop, just like it did at the rest before the crux. It’s been so long since I was last trying so hard that I don’t know what I was doing to sort that before being a mom. Did I always have all this internal dialogue?
"Le Voyage" is my longest project ever. 2 years. But at the same time, as a climbing parent, you have to take things differently. You don’t get many attempts on a climbing day… technically, I only get one at the minute when Zoellie snoozes. We have belayed on lead with her in the back in a baby carrier when she was smaller, but that wouldn’t work now. You check the weather forecast all the time, but you still have to balance your goals with the family’s life. You need so much more patience, but you are also so much more patient because that’s what babies teach you. Family life gives you more rhythm, and that has been good for training. I have had to train so much just to get back to my former level… then reinforce my shoulders because "Le Voyage" is so demanding. I have even done some specific leg training. I have never been as specific. But I don’t think I have been obsessive. I can’t. Because I am still a mom. First? I don’t know… for sure maybe sometimes I have been stealing some time from my children for my training. I am somewhat selfish. But it’s made me very happy to create that space for my climbing. It has made me be Caroline again."
Jernej Kruder sends Martin Krpan (9a) sans knee pads
Jernej Kruder, who won the Boulder World Cup in 2018, has done Martin Krpan (9a) in Mišja Peč. “I would like to expose something here: I spent many tries on t…
Welcome to Vertical-Life Web
Six years after partnering with 8a.nu, we’re excited to announce the unification of the 8a.nu website and the Vertical-Life app into a single platform: Vertical…
Will Bosi repeats Return of the Sleepwalker (9A)
William Bosi has made the second ascent of Daniel Woods’ Return of the Sleepwalker (9A) in Black Velvet Canyon, after projecting it for 12 sessions. This was th…
Le Nevé and Buhl send Le Voyage 8b (+) trad
Melissa Le Nevé and Fabi Buhl have repeated James Pearson's Voyage at Annot calling the nearly 40m line 8b. Comparing it to Céüse grades, Melissa says on Instag…
James Pearson shares his thoughts on grading Bon Voyage E12
James Pearson made the FA of Bon Voyage in Annot in in February. He did not grade but compared it to 9a sport routes. (c) Raphaël Fourau”This route took me long…
Séb Berthe, who did La Rambla (9a+) in January, has flashed James Pearson's Le Voyage in Annot, which is an 8b (+) trad with two fixed threads. In total, the s…
Le Nevé and Buhl send Le Voyage 8b (+) trad
Melissa Le Nevé and Fabi Buhl have repeated James Pearson's Voyage at Annot calling the nearly 40m line 8b. Comparing it to Céüse grades, Melissa says on Instag…
James Pearson shares his thoughts on grading Bon Voyage E12
James Pearson made the FA of Bon Voyage in Annot in in February. He did not grade but compared it to 9a sport routes. (c) Raphaël Fourau”This route took me long…
Séb Berthe, who did La Rambla (9a+) in January, has flashed James Pearson's Le Voyage in Annot, which is an 8b (+) trad with two fixed threads. In total, the s…
Katie Lamb makes history
Katie Lamb has become the first woman to climb 8C+ by completing Box Therapy (8C) in RMNP. Daniel Woods made the FA back in 2018, and only Drew Ruana and Sean B…
Schubert sends Project Big during his 6th Live attempt
"It was dramatic to the very end." On the 8a finish of Project Big in Flatanger, Jakob Schubert explains that a horn broke and he was close to falling. The last three minutes of the video show just how much this climb means to him."This horn could have ended my career... This was the biggest mental …
Will Bosi repeats Return of the Sleepwalker (9A)
William Bosi has made the second ascent of Daniel Woods’ Return of the Sleepwalker (9A) in Black Velvet Canyon, after projecting it for 12 sessions. This was th…