The Austrian Angela „Angy“ Eiter, the best female lead competition climber in history and the only woman to have climbed a 9b, was able to tackle a top route with ‚Fluch der Meere‘. The 25-meter route was given her husband Bernie for her birthday. According to Angie’s statement, the route checks in at 9a, which is still „quite difficult“ for women ;-).
„My latest project has occupied my head and I really wanted to complete this one. It‘s neither any level of success nor any grade I am looking for. This outcome happened accidentally and regardless of what the grade could be I was psyched to try it. My improvement from one sesh to the next pushed me further. Yesterday I tried it again after a couple days away from it. Totally unexpected I managed the crux, a strange power move snapping a pocket from a bad crimp. I continued with the flow and tried to control the next powerful „campus-jumps“. Then, the last moves required accuracy…
Luckily I stood the battle and finally completed the FA of „FLUCH DER MEERE“. As for the grade I donˋt have a good comparison at the moment but I guess it should be around 9a. Thanks to my husband for giving birth to this great line“
Photo: (c) Bernie Ruech