Paul-Martin Luc FA’s Öga för Öga (8C)

Paul-Martin Luc has done the first ascent of öga för öga (8C) at Hultastenen. The project took shape during the summer of 2023 and developed into a multi-year endeavor marked by progress, setbacks, and ultimately full payoff. Along the way, he first completed Luftig kö till nålens öga (8B+) as well as the sit start den nattliga havsfärden (8B+), before shifting his entire focus to the full low start from Tvekampen (8A) into Nålens Öga—a long, steep, and highly physical line where power, body tension, and heel hooks are central.

In spring 2024, the project gained extra momentum when Adam Ondra visited the area. After a joint breakdown of the moves, Ondra flashed Luftig Kö Till Nålens Öga, one of the most talked-about flashes ever done in Sweden, and at the same time provided valuable context regarding the difficulty of the sector. That same day, several local climbers achieved personal bests, but for the project’s main protagonist the session ended with a hamstring injury that required a long rehabilitation and put the project on hold for more than a year.

After returning, the attempts continued methodically until the entire line finally went down. As for the grade, Öga för Öga is assessed as 8C. If Den Nattliga Havsfärden is considered 8B+, the link sits in the upper end of 8C; but if it is instead a solid 8C, the full line could be perceived as a soft 8C+. Regardless of the exact grade, the ascent is seen as the culmination of an unusually long and emotionally charged journey—where the end result carries more weight than the number.