| While making a film for Spanish television Josune Bereziartu and Iker Pou climbed the multi-pitch "El Pilar del Cantabrico", situated on the magnificent El Naranjo de Bulnes in the Picos De Europa range. First ascended in 1981 and originally graded A2+, the 500m limestone line goes free at 8a+. The distance between the old bolts made the route psychologically demanding, but Bereziartu and Pou chose not to replace any of the original gear and quickly worked the first half of the route. Setting off at 8:45am, they shared leads to climb the route in a single, fall-free push and topped out at 10pm. Pou, who had already climbed the route in 1997, and Bereziatu are famed for redpoint ascents of some of the hardest boulder problems and sports routes around, such as Aktion Direct 9a and Noia 8c+ respectively. Could this be an indication of new things to come? "El Pilar del Cantabrico" 7b+, 8a, 8a+, 7c+, 7b, 7a+, 6c, 6c+, 6b+, 6a, 6a, V+, V+. |
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