Nina Arthaud does another two 8A+'

Nina Arthaud, who last month did three 8A+' in Rocklands, has had some great days in Magic Wood ticking Pura Vida (8A+), Foxy Lady (8A) and Jack's broken heart (8A+). The 24-year-old stopped competing in 2021 after reaching the Lead World Cup finals twice.

Can you tell us more about the ascents?
I haven’t had much chance to go to Magic Wood yet, so I planned a 5-day trip there with some friends. The week was rather rainy and we had to be strategic to find the right slots to climb.

I tried ‘Jacks Broken Heart’ on the first day of our trip. I have had this boulder in my head for a long time and I really wanted to try it. I fell into the vertical section at the very top on my first session and managed to link it on the second.

I then tried ‘Foxy lady’. This one is so beautiful. For this boulder we had to go to the boulder at 7am because the rain was supposed to come at 9am. In the end, I managed to climb this one with the final part in the rain. Not the best conditions but for sure a good memory !

Finally, I tried ‘Pura Vida’. At first I thought I’d try the 8b version which is ‘One summer in Paradise’, which starts lower, but I really liked the high heel on the first move of the 8a+ so I changed my plans. I quickly checked the moves and I managed to climb it a few tries later. The top-out was also totally wet but I felt lucky to be able to climb it despite the rain.

Thanks to my friends for their support and good mood during this trip, it’s precious.

What is next?
I’m currently trying some boulders in Valais and Fionnay. Then back to university 😅🥲 [Psychology]. Then Ticino this autumn / winter.

How can you explain your recent great progress?
I’ve trained really hard over the past year for outdoor bouldering, using my experience from years of competition climbing. In fact, it’s only been a year since I started bouldering outside. Before that, I mainly focused on routes and had less time to climb outdoors. Recently, I’ve noticed that I’ve gained more experience and efficiency on rock. Plus, I’m extremely motivated, which helps me push myself during every session.