At Oliana in Spain Belgian climber Anak Verhoeven has onsighted an 8b+, Gorilas en la Niebla, and redpointed a 9a+, Joe Mama, conferming her status as one of the best climbers in the world.
If you could chose, would you opt for a 9a+ redpoint or an 8b+ onsight? Belgium’s Anak Verhoeven doesn’t need to answer that tough question, in recent days she, amazingly, managed to do both. Verhoeven managed to climb the classic high-end Oliana testpiece Joe Mama in a mere 10 attempts spread out over 11 days, while at the same crag she also made a clean, first go ascent of Gorilas en la Niebla, In doing so she has confirmed her status as one of the foremost climbers in the world, in particular on routes were immense endurance are a determining factor.
Joe Mama is Verhoeven’s second 9a+ after her first ascent of Sweet Neuf at Pierrot Beach in France (repeated and confirmed by Cédric Lachat last June) and is one of the few female ascent of this difficulty, after Margo Hayes and Angela Eiter. As to female 8b+ onsight, this is a rare occurrence, too. The first to hit this mark was Josune Bereziartu in 2005 on Hidrofobia at Montsant in Spain, and others who have followed suit are Maja Vidmar (2010), Sasha DiGiulian (2011) and Kajsa Rosén (2016).
19.12.2017 Laura Rogora and Anak Verhoeven score Sperlonga and Santa Linya first ascents Female sport climbing: the Laura Rogora and Anak Verhoeven have made the first ascent of two difficult sport climbs: It segid narg 8c+ at Grotta dell'Arenauta at Sperlonga by the young Italian and Ciudad de Dios pa la Enmienda at Santa Linya by the Belgian.
10.12.2017 Anak Verhoeven, Stefano Carnati and Sébastien Bouin climbing strong in Spain Sport climbing in Spain: Belgium’s Anak Verhoeven has repeated Ciudad de Dios 9a/+ at Santa Linya, France’s Sébastien Bouin has redpointed La Rambla 9a+ at Siurana while at Margalef Stefano Carnati has climbed his 50th 8c or harder, Llamps i trons.
13.09.2017 Anak Verhoeven claims 9a+ first female ascent at Pierrot Beach in France Belgium's Anak Verhoeven has made the first ascent of 'Sweet Neuf' at Pierrot Beach in France, a sports climb she believes is 9a+. Should the grade be confirmed, Verhoeven becomes only the second woman to have climbed 9a+ and the first to have freed a route of this difficulty.
01.07.2017 Romain Desgranges and Anak Verhoeven crowned European Climbing Champions at Campitello di Fassa European Climbing Championships Campitello di Fassa: Romain Desgranges (Fra) and Anak Verhoeven (Bel) are the new European Lead Champions. Adam Ondra (Cze) and Mina Markovic (Slo) win silver, Jakob Schubert (Aut) and Jessica Pilz (Aut) win bronze. Italy’s Laura Rogora places 6th, Marcello Bombardi 7th.
28.04.2016 Kajsa Rosén and her perfect climbing state of mind at Oliana Interview with 19-year-old Swedish climber Kajsa Rosén who, with T-1 Full equipe at Oliana in Spain at the end of March, carried out one of the most difficult female onsights of all times.
18.04.2016 Anak Verhoeven beats the Bronx at Orgon Anak Verhoeven from Belgium has made what might well be the first female ascent of the historic 8c+ sports climb Bronx at Orgon in France.
25.03.2011 Sasha DiGiulian unstoppable at Red River Gorge Interview with American climber Sasha DiGiulian after her cutting-edge 8c+ redpoints of Southern Smoke and Lucifer and her 8b+ on-sight of Omaha Beach, all at Red River Gorge, Kentucky, USA.
14.04.2010 Maja Vidmar 8b+ on-sight at Oliana, Spain Maja Vidmar from Slovenia has carried out her first ever on-sight of an 8b+, Humildes pa casa 8b+ at Oliana, Spain
18.04.2006 Josune Bereziartu first woman to on-sight 8b+! Josune Bereziartu has just on-sighted Hidrofobia 8b+ at Montsant, Spain and, in doing so, has become the first woman ever to on-sight 8b+!