The year started quite well for Florian „Flo“ Wientjes. He sends climb three 8C and one 8B+/C. Flo already tried the Swiss top boulder „Off the Wagon (sit)“ last year in December. After he was soon able to climb all the moves, a mental battle began for him until he was finally able to climb the boulder. It was the sixth ascent of the boulder and for Flo the first boulder in this grade.

„I started trying it on a short trip last Dec. The plan was to try the stand but after that went down pretty fast I started trying it from the low start. I did all the Moves and also did my first links which gave me confidence that this Line is absolutely doable for me. From session 2 I always fell on the big move and the mental battle started. 6 more sessions came and went with close calls and new „Highpoints“. It was mentally really hard climbing to the big move just to fail another time on the same move as the 60 times before.“

n 2018, Shawn Raboutou was able to add a low start to the Nalle Hukkataival boulder „Off the wagon“ (8B+) in the Valle Bavona. The result was „Off the wagon sit„, probably the hardest boulder in Switzerland at the time. In the meantime, the boulder „Alphane“, also by Shawn Raboutou, has taken the top position.

Photo: (c) Xaver Quintus