Christian Leitner, 15, does Napalm in the morning (9a)

Christian Leitner, who did his first 9a at age 14, has done Napalm in the morning (9a) in Adlitzgräben. The 15-year-old Austrian has won the last three European Youth Championship/Cups he has participated in.

Can you tell us more about the two 9a’s you have repeated?
My first 9a was Martin Krpan. Before each attempt, I was very nervous and excited, so for me, the route was less of a physical challenge and more of a huge mental one. I tried the route many times and almost climbed it when I was just 14 years old, but I fell at the top. I finally completed it during a training camp with the Austrian Youth National Team.

My second 9a was Napalm in the Morning, and that was more of a spontaneous thing! At the time, the Youth World Championships were coming up, but I got sick three weeks beforehand and had a lung infection. This meant I couldn’t compete at the Youth World Championships, so I had time for outdoor climbing. I tried the route a few times and quickly figured out the individual moves. The full ascent didn’t take long, either—I only needed about 20 attempts in total. The route was also more my style.

What is your climbing background?
I have been climbing since I was 3 years old. With 6 I started to climb in competitions but my focus always was outdoor climbing. At 10 I did my first 8a and 8b. Now I have more than 60 Routes that are 8a or higher. I have also been climbing international competitions for about teo years.