Der Franzose Seb Bouin kämpfte lange mit dem Grad 9b+. Mit seiner, noch unwiederholten Erstbegehung La Rage d’Adam / Adam’s Rage konnte er vermutlich diesen Grad aber schon im Jahr 2019 erreichen. Wer Seb kennt weiß, dass er gerne hart bewertet bzw. Routen gerne abstuft, weiß das sein Langzeitprojekt etwas ganz Hartes sein muss. Nun konnte der Franzose im gleichem Sektor Ramirole wie La Rage d’Adam, in der Verdonschlucht noch einen draufsetzen und die Route „DNA“ erstbegehen. Seb verbrachte, nach eigener Aussage über 150! Tage in diesem Projekt verbracht (vermutlich insgesamt fast 200 Tage verteilt über fast drei Jahre). Insgesamt kam Seb auf über 250 Versuche.

Seb schwankt bei der Bewertung zwischen 9b+ und 9c. Letztlich hat er sich für 9c entschieden. Bisher wurde dieser Grad nur zwei Mal vorgeschlagen, einmal für die bisher unwiederholte „Silence“ von Adam Ondra aud dem Jahr 2017 und dann für „Bibliographie“ von Alexander Megos aus dem Jahr 2020.  Letztere Route wurde dann aber von den Wiederholern auf 9b+ abgestuft.

There are some hopes we hold on to, some dreams that keep us alive.

Even if it seems far away and almost impossible, there is that little glimmer of light inside us that makes us try again and again.

Sometimes we forget that these dreams are achievable, but we try again and again.

Sometimes we get lost, and we don’t believe in them anymore.

Then we must go away to come back. We must find the essence of why we do things, we have to find the DNA of our actions.

I don’t know if we are crazy to try so many times a project that has so little chance of success.

I like to believe that this behavior is instinctive, that it comes from deep within us, that it is written in our DNA.

DNA, that acid in our molecules that carries genetic traits.

I like to think that my approach to climbing is instinctive. I don’t ask myself many questions, I just try, and as long as I’m on the rock I’m happy.

This story has been one of the longest, one of the most intense, and one of the most striking.

There has been a lot of love, but also a lot of fear. A lot of joy, and a lot of frustration. A lot of hope, and a lot of doubts.

I got slapped around a lot.

But it was worth it because it’s beautiful and inspiring.

I’m happy to have completed this project. After having equipped and discovered it in 2019, tried it for 6 months in 2020, and for 6 months in 2021, I finally managed to clip the belay this spring during my second trip.

I’ve spent over 150 days in it (close to 200 I think), and tried the route over 250 times.

It’s the most challenging project I’ve ever done. It’s the hardest route I’ve ever tried and climbed in my climbing career. This route marks a milestone in my climbing life.

This line completes a series of other first ascents on the cliff of la Ramirole in Verdon. For the moment, none of these routes have been repeated.

The question of grading doesn’t feel so important right now for me, but it is inevitable. I spent a few nights thinking about it.

I think this question requires a proper post which I’ll do shortly to explain everything that weighed in the balance.

Fotos (c) Lena Drapella

Dazu passend: