Aidan Roberts flashes Bügeleisen (8B+) in Maltatal, Austria

British climber Aidan Roberts reports he has flashed Bügeleisen in the picturesque Maltatal valley in Austria. Established by Klem Loskot in 2001, as the name suggests, this legendary line of small crimps climbs the underside of a sheet of iron-smooth granite at 8B+ difficulties. It was first repeated in 2013 by Nalle Hukkataival who, a year later, went on to establish the sit-start which weighs in at 8C.

Bügeleisen is Roberts' second 8B+ flash, after Momentum in Switzerland's Val Bavona in 2023. While it is currently unclear when precisely Roberts flashed Bügeleisen, what is obvious however is that the 28-year-old is on superb form. And given the timing of his announcement, it wouldn't come as a surprise if in the near future he reports on the sit-start, too.

Writing on Instagram he explained "There are few better in the world! It’s rare to find rock good enough for thin, incut crimps to be completely solid on a steep face. To flash felt like a pure challenge of execution. I had margin on each move, but not enough to make any mistakes. About as satisfying as it gets."

 

 

 

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