Vertical-Life
Tanguy Merard puts up Hannigraal (9b)
”I started trying La Cinquantaine Éclatante because the route consisted of making an easier start of a 9b [project Hannigraal]. It was motivating because it gave me an intermediate objective. In terms of climbing and holds, I've never loved a route so much, I couldn't stop climbing it, I loved it. These routes didn't require any mental effort because climbing them was just a pleasure, and I didn't care if I did the route.
[Two days later] On my first try I sent the new route that I bolted with a friend, "Brouncha" 9a FA. The same day I tried the hardest project on the cliff that we were trying with Seb Berthe, which consists of doing a 9a and continuing into "La Cinquantaine Éclatante", 9a+. So I launched into the route without any expectations just to see what it was like, telling myself that if I did the first part (9a) it would already be good. I was flying on the holds and I arrived at the first anchor so easily without feeling pumped, so after that I started to believe. I gave it my all for the final boulder , got back into the slab and managed to calm down before sending the final jump over the edge of the cliff. Everything was perfect, I clipped the anchor in shock and I was surprised, I had just completed my first 9b Hannigraal FA.
About the grade of "Hannigraal" which for me is much harder than all the 9a+ I did. I had a little doubt because I did it super quickly, but the route suits me very well. I also had a discussion with Nicolas Pelorson and Seb Berthe who tried the route, and they told me that they agreed with me.”
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Welcome to Vertical-Life Web
Six years after partnering with 8a.nu, we’re excited to announce the unification of the 8a.nu website and the Vertical-Life app into a single platform: Vertical…
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8a has published a “Climber of the Year” list for the past 22 years. We base it upon the best information and reporting available, and we give extra credit to multi-disciplin climbers performing in both competitions and on the rock. We also take FAs, trad, multi-pitches, and DWS into consideration. …
Tanguy Merard gets back to rock and does three 9a’s
Tanguy Merard, who did five 9a+’s last year, has completed Le Cadafist (9a/+) in Saint Léger, Anidalle tracteur (9a) in L'Abattoir and Amicalement blues (9a) i…
Tanguy Merard, who has already done three 9a+'s in 2023, has started August by sending A muerte bilou (9a) in Verdon. Then he moved to Gorges du Loup where he d…
2023 8a.nu Climber of the Year
8a has published a “Climber of the Year” list for the past 22 years. We base it upon the best information and reporting available, and we give extra credit to multi-disciplin climbers performing in both competitions and on the rock. We also take FAs, trad, multi-pitches, and DWS into consideration. …
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William Bosi has made the second ascent of Daniel Woods’ Return of the Sleepwalker (9A) in Black Velvet Canyon, after projecting it for 12 sessions. This was th…