Iris Matamoros Quero, 45, does Ali Hulk Extension 9a (+)

Iris Matamoros Quero has repeated Dani Andrada’s Ali hulk extension (9a+), logging it as a 9a. The 45-year-old had his best year ever in 2024 when he sent one 9a and three 8c+’. ”Nowadays people climb it using kneepads, and that changes the difficulty a bit. I’m not saying it’s easy now — because it definitely isn’t! — but maybe it’s no longer quite 9a+. I think there’s a general consensus that it’s currently considered 9a.” (c) Juan Puig Vals

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
In September 2022, I sent P con fin mas hulk extension (9a) in the Alibaba Cave. At that moment, I thought about trying Ali Hulk Extension, since I already knew the upper part and only had to solve the lower section, Alibaba — a tough 8c. I spent the three remaining days I had trying it; I really liked it, but I couldn’t finish it.

I always wanted to go back, but it’s not easy when you live seven hours away and have two small kids. This July we went to Rodellar, and I started working on it again. It was very hot, but my goal was clear: to train on the route, figure out every detail, and come back in October under better conditions.

In August, we climbed in Flatanger, which turned out to be perfect training — long, physical routes with lots of kneebars. Right after coming back from Norway, at the end of August, I decided to make a quick trip to Rodellar. I wanted to see exactly what I was missing so I could plan one last month of focused training.

I spent September training hard, trying to make everything as specific as possible for that route. In early October, I went back to Rodellar. I had to ask for time off work, and my wife stayed home with our two kids. I’m really grateful to her for that. It was kind of my 45th birthday present.

I felt strong in the first few days, but the route is very long and full of details, and I fell several times. It’s so physically demanding that I could only give one or two serious tries a day, so every attempt came with a lot of pressure. The days went by without success...

On my second-to-last day, I managed to get past the Hulk section — which I think on its own could already be around 9a. My goal was to continue all the way to the extension, but I clipped that anchor to secure that milestone, then I climbed down and continued climbing. I fell just before the final anchor of the extension. I was sad and happy at the same time.

The next day — my last day — I tried again, and this time I made it all the way to the anchor of Alí Hulk Extension. A dream come true. Though honestly, I’m still dreaming of coming back to do it properly, from the ground — Alí Hulk Extension sit start 9a+.

Starting from the sit start definitely adds that “plus,” in my opinion. I’d love to go back in the future to try it — it would be amazing to climb the full route and reach that level of difficulty at my age!

How did you prepare for the send?
On my last trip, I took photos of every single move. I tried to simulate all the conditions of the route — the time on the wall, the intensity of the effort, the rests. Training the legs and core is really important, since strong calves let you stay longer in the kneebars. It’s a very physical route that leaves your whole body destroyed, so it’s essential to prepare for that full-body effort — not just the forearms.

How long did one attempt take and how much rest in between?
Each attempt took me between 20 and 25 minutes on a horizontal roof. I would climb one day and rest the next.