Jernej Kruder repeats La Bruja (9a)

Jernej Kruder has done the second ascent of Ignacio Mulero's La bruja (9a) in La Pedriza, which is protected both by bolts and trad gear. The 33-year-old Slovenian has been a very active IFSC competition climber since 2004 and in 2018 he won the overall Boulder World Cup.

Can you tell us more about this hybrid route and your ascent of it?
The route starts with an awkward gaston jump and continues with a very pleasant 6b layback/hands with placing 2 cams (you can use more to feel safer. I wanted to use only 1, but 2 was easier for the belayer). Then you enter a long, power endurance crux with some kneebars (I used only 1 knee pad, Mulero used 2), which ends in a good rest. This section is about 8A/+ boulder problem. Still, my main problem was to recover well enough. After that, you enter a steep crimpy section of approx. 7B+ bouldering. The last crack rail is not too hard, but you're quite tired and before you enter the first hand jams, you can fall easily. Also, you need to protect yourself here. I used 3 small pieces (2x purple- first fell out on my send go, 1x green) and I got rid of a Nr. 4 in the last off-width. I fell several times on the last crack, but luckily never on the top out off-width (although I failed there 2 times only trying it). I was also climbing with crack gloves, just like the first ascensionist, Mulero.

The route has about 70 moves in total, with some no-hand rests. Although it's long, it's also so steep and there's a tree underneath, that you have to be constantly careful, not to get injured. Again, Mulero used a crash pad on the tree, I was rather focused on performance (hit the tree only twice :P ).

What are your competition plans this season?
At the moment I'm not sure if I'll be selected for any of this season's World Cups.