Victor Guillermin, 17, repeats Avaatara (9a)

Victor Guillermin, who last year made one podium in a Euro Youth Cup, has done the second ascent of Avaatara (9a) in Bataara Gorge. ”Incredible line in a sinkhole, bolted and climbed for the first time by David Lama.”

Can you tell us more about the Avaatara? It looks like a pretty unique line!
So I discovered this route back in 2019, when I saw for the first time the RedBull video of David Lama trying this route. Since I've always wanted to try this route, but I never had the occasion. Finally, I found the time to go to Lebanon and try this route. I wanted to make sure that I gave more than I took, so we came (thanks to Tenaya and Petzl), with climbing shoes for young Lebanese climbers and bolts for Jad El Khoury (the main developer of rock climbing in Lebanon).

Avaatara, is very particular, because it is located near a 100m sinkhole, so the access to the base of the route is very scary and dangerous. This took me a lot of mental energy during the trip. During the two first sessions, I managed to do all the moves and doing some sections, but when I started real tries at the third day, I fall in the crux, a hard dropknee to a half crimp. I kept falling at this move 20 times in a row, during 5 sessions but finally, I found an other beta, which was better for me, with heel hooks, two days before we took off to France.

In my last day, I felt better than ever, but conditions were really bad. It was windy, so the waterfall wet the holds and it rained a lot. But finally, probably on my last try, with a bit of sun, I managed to pass the crux and kept going to the anchor, with a huge fight and big screams! It was definitely for me one of my biggest fights and one of my proudest ascents!

I just would like to thanks David Lama for bolting this route, and also Jad El Khoury, but also Lea El Medawar (the photograph), Anthonin Salz and all the community of climbers in Lebanon! This country has just a craaaaazy potential for climbing🤯

What are your summer plans?
Haha nice ! This summer I don't really have a particular plan, but I will compete in different competitions. First European cups, and then maybe European and the World Youth Championships! Of course I want to try hard routes all over France like Trip tik tonik (9a), Supercrackinette (9a+), Le Cadre Nouvelle Version (9a), Beyond Integral (9b+), La moustache qui fâche (9a+)... A busy summer in perspective 🤣