Chris Sharma frees Golpe De Estado at Siurana

While others seem concentrated on repeating routes as fast as possible, Chris Sharma continues his Leitmotif of establishing testpieces around the globe. This time the 27 year old American climber is making headline news for his first ascent of "Golpe De Estado" on the beautiful orange blue streakd limestone at Siurana, Spain.

The route in question climbs a direct and bouldery start to Estado critico before joining the 8c+/9a testpiece established by Ramón Julián Puigblanque in 2004.

Chris bolted the line last November and worked it last winter, but success eluded him until an intense 6 day spell resulted in the redpoint on December 17. As yet no grade has been put forward by Sharma himself, who believed the start to be a 9a in its own right.

- Watch the video of Sharma working Golpe de Estado here