Alexander Megos too strong for the Frankenjura...

In Germany's Frankenjura Alexander Megos has repeated The Essential 9a, Black Label 9a, Matador 9a and The Man that follows hell 9a+.
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Alexander Megos climbing Hattori Hanzo (8c+), Frankenjura
Jorgos Megos
Too strong for the Frankenjura. These are the comments that are beginning to be heard in reference to German climber Alexander Megos and, in some respects, they aren't all too wrong. In fact, after the fast repeat of Action Directe in less than 2 hours, in the last few days Megos has climbed Black Label 9a in 1.5 hours, Matador 9a in 2.5 hours, The Essential in 9 attempts and in 3.5 hours and also the 9a+ The Man that follows hell 9a+ in 5 attempts in a mere 1.5 hours. If he continues at this rate, there soon won't be anything left in the Frankenjura for Megos to repeat...

This speed is astounding and leads us to think that, yes, as we wrote back in 2009, for a small group of elite climbers 9a really is beginning to be not that hard any more. Even if Megos guarantees that for him 9a "is by no means standard; this grade is and always will be something special", it is evidently well within his grasp.

The other aspect of the speed of these redpoints that provides food for thought lies in the direct opposite, namely the long period of time which is needed - and rarely found - to establish cutting-edge new routes. The five weeks that Adam Ondra invested in freeing Change, the more than 50 falls off the crux move that Chris Sharma took on First Round First Minute and the more than 8 weeks of effort required by Ondra to free La Dura Dura are all examples of how much one has to give to create something absolute, to forge this almost inconceivable limit.

Seeing the latest bout of amazing climbs, perhaps the time has come for this 20-year-old climbing ace to invest his hours in redpointing not an existing route, but a great new project. Also to show that, perhaps, he's not too strong for the Frankenjura after all!


15/09/2009 - The limits of sport climbing: 9a soon a warm-up?





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