Victor Guillermin does Era Vella (8c+/9a) 2nd Go

Victor Guillermin, who last year won the gold in the European Youth Championship, has sent Era Vella (9a) in Margalef on his second attempt, giving it a personal 8c+ grade. Until 2018 it was the most repeated 9a in the world but then it lost it’s popularity possibly due to being downgraded. Later a foothold broke which made it a popular 9a again.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
It was my first time in the Catedral sector, and I went there with a friend with the goal of flashing Era Vella. Unfortunately, I hadn’t prepared enough. I had only watched a few videos (which weren’t complete), so it was quite hard to understand the holds and the moves, especially since there are many different betas on this route. My friend tried to explain the moves to me, but we climb very differently, so I couldn’t really use her beta, especially with my fat fingers.

I gave it a flash attempt, but climbed the beginning quite poorly, making unnecessary moves and hesitating. I definitely should have prepared better. Still, I kept going, knowing that if I reached the jug after the crux, I could get a good rest and then go all in for the upper part. I made it to the crux but fell on the dynamic move to catch the “potato,” already pretty pumped. I should have kept pushing mentally, even in that state!

After that, I checked the rest of the route. An hour later, I felt ready for another go. I knew I could do it on my second try, but I struggled to remember the beta from the ground, every move felt similar, and I had no clear idea where to place my feet. Still, I went all in, and it didn’t feel that hard. I was climbing well and had some margin. There were just a couple of dynamic moves after the crux where I really had to dig deep to stay focused, all the way to the top!

I’m incredibly happy to have climbed such a legendary line by Chris Sharma on my second go. Without a doubt, one of the best routes of the grade! It also shows me that with better preparation, a 9a flash could be possible. Now, focus on the upcoming World Cup season, and then the big goal this fall: Stoking the Fire in Santa Linya, which I was super close to sending!

What are your thoughts behind your 8c+ suggestion?
I think the route suits me well physically because it’s a mix of rest and crux sections. If you’re powerful enough, you can skip quite a few holds. However, having bigger fingers can make it a bit harder. That’s why 8c+ feels accurate, or even 8c+/9a for bigger climbers.