Der Belgier Max Deelen konnte mit „The Big Island“ in Fontainebleau seinen ersten 8C-Boulder klettern. Für den 1,93 m großen Kletterer war es die 20. Begehung des Klassikers von Vincent Ponchon in Fontainebleau. Der Boulder aus dem Jahr 2010 gehört zu dem am meisten wiederholten Bouldern im Grad 8C und wird gerne als erster 8C-Boulder geklettert. Max projektiert den Boulder seit April 2019, nachdem er 2016 erstmals einen Blick auf den Boulder geworfen hatte.

„I have been coming to Fontainebleau for 4 years now, and the big island was always a dream project for me. I waited until I felt I was fit enough to try it, and that time came April 2019. My first session was very promising, and I could do the boulder in two parts. From that point, I became obsessed with trying to send the boulder and I trained harder than ever before. This trip I went to the problem again, and it felt a lot better. I was able to send the island on my first session on this trip. This was a confidence boost, and after a good rest day I came back and on my first go, I reached the top jug but fell unexpectedly. From this point on I knew it could happen any attempt, and it became more of a mental than physic“ battle. Luckily some attempts later, and with a lot of encouragement from my good friend Nathan de Groen, I completed the big island. This moment my dream became reality and all the hard training paid off.

About my height, I think that in Fontainebleau I have an advantage most of the time, as by nature the problems here tend to be quite morpho.“