Leo Cea, 13, ticks Shangri-La (8c+)

Leo Cea, who sent his first two 9a’s, out of seven, at age eleven, has done Shangrila (8c+). ”Frankenjura super classic, happy to have climbed Germany's first 8c+ from 1995. For my height, 145 cm, the crux is right after clipping the last draw, those moves are definitely harder than the bottom crux." (c) Dorian Reinlein

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I started trying it this spring. Most of the time I went there with Alex Megos and Simon Weisser. Simon was projecting it too, so it was super motivating to work on it together. After a few sessions he sent it, and that just made me even more motivated to send it too. After that I kept coming back every now and then while climbing lots of other projects around Frankenjura with Alex and Simon. Shangri-La was always in the back of my mind.

I also met Lena Herrmann, who did the FFA, in Schlaraffenland while I was projecting the route, and that was really motivating. Knowing that so many strong climbers have been inspired by this route over the years makes sending it feel even more special.

It was also a really special day because my best friend, Gael Detoy, came over from the USA after the World Cup in Arco. We used to climb together all the time in Chile, and it was really special to have him belaying me when I finally sent the route. He also climbed a classic 8c that day, so we were both super happy.

What did you like most about the route and what about the crux?
It's just such a cool climb! The first eight meters are pretty easy, then there's one really hard move that most people call the crux. I actually loved that move... but funny enough, it wasn't my crux.

The crux comes after clipping the last bolt! I couldn't reach the better holds that taller climbers use. I had to find my own beta using really tiny holds and tricky moves. That took me several sessions, but it was super cool to finally figur it out.

What is next?
I have some 9a projects that I'm working on. Frankenjura is super hard! There are so many amazing and difficult routes here, and I'm really enjoying discovering this area and its history. I'm also preparing for a very important project in Spain, so there are some exciting things coming up! I also want to say thank you to the Benno-Kittl-Stiftung, the Frankenjura Academy and to my regular sponsors for all their support.