Roxane Durand does Rue Gamma (8c)

Roxane Durand, who five years ago at age 34 sent her first 8b+, has completed Rue Gamma (8c) in Peillon. During the last year and a half she has done 13 routes 8b to 8c, meaning she is peaking just a couple of days before turning 40!

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I am so happy having sent this route cause it is a nice big classic one in Peillon, and for me it is also the end of a long process wich started 3 years ago. 😮This route is a real monster 👹, a kind of 3-in-1 route : It starts by the 8b « Das Boot », which needs a lot of power and core strenght, and also good conditions cause of the no texture pinch in the crux. After a big rest the route continues in the specific part of Rue Gamma. The crux consists of a big lock-off with the right arm pulling a mono and a left heelhook on the hand, all in a roof ! To finish, you have to climb the quite resistant part of the 8a+ Vizir. Sending this route was trying to make everything happen in the same time, trying to align these 3 planets : Das Boot – Rue Gamma – Vizir ! 🌒🌘🌓

After sending Das Boot in 2021, I started to try Rue Gamma but I wasn’t able to do the crux with the mono. Also, I tried only 5 sessions a year so I didn’t make any progress in it so I had no conviction at all to be able to send it one day, and no much motivation.😞 This year I realised it had no sense to continue trying this route if I wasnt able to do the crux and if I didn’t manage to go more often. So I decided to train specifically the move with the mono, and I bought for this route, a Monofinger hanging device to give me a chance to maybe one day be able to send it! In April, I was able to do the crux with the mono but not to send again the Das Boot part… By the way my motivation increased and I did 5 sessions in the route in spring, and I went again in the route in autumn. In December 🥶, with much better conditions than in autumn, I sent Das Boot again and started to fall in the mono crux and to have good tries, which motivates me a lot !

Last wednesday, 5 days before my 40th brithday 🎂, I aligned all the 3 planets and sent this big classic, which wasn’t an easy 8c for me ! Such a nice feeling to realise that I did something I was thinking impossible 3 years ago ! 🤩😃 In total, I did 22 sessions (12 this year), 53 tries (without considering Das Boot) ! During the ascent, after not falling in the two principal cruxes, I needed to stay focus a lot, to breath and stay calm until the end… And everything went perfectly ! 🥳🎉