Marta Palou ticks La Gioconda (9a)

Marta Palou has repeated Jose Luis Palou’s La Gioconda (9a) in Rodellar. It is an extension to an 8c and in total 40 m long roof climb with hard cruxes and good kneebar rests all the way to the top.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and what went into completing it?
Last year I sent my first 8c+, and this year I wanted to try something a bit harder. I work in Rodellar for half of the year, so having a hard project there is really convenient because I can just go for a couple of attempts and then head to work. However, when I arrived this season, I injured a finger pulley, so I honestly didn’t think it would be possible to climb these grades so soon. One month after the injury I managed to send El hijo libre (8c), and now, just three months after getting injured, climbing my first 9a feels incredible!

And today, only 3 days after sending Gioconda, I went back to El Museo and sent DA VINCI EXTENSION (8c) too! I can’t wait for my finger to fully recover so I can try all the routes I want to climb and spend as much time climbing as possible :))