Laura Rogora first Italian woman to climb 9a+, Pure Dreaming Plus at Arco

19-year-old Laura Rogora put in a world-class performance at Massone close to Arco yesterday when she redpointed Pure Dreaming Plus to become the first Italian woman to climb 9a+. In doing so she is only the fifth woman in the world to aster this grade after Margo Hayes (02/2017), Anak Verhoeven (09/2017), Angela Eiter (10/2017) and Julia Chanourdie (03/2020).

A mere three days ago Rogora had stated that the time had come to raise the bar after her swift repeat of Pure Dreaming, and now, after a mere two days of extra effort, she has succeeded in on Pure Dreaming Plus. As the name implies this includes an extension to Pure Dreaming but - somewhat unusually - the addition is as the start. The extended version starts up Underground, past the route’s technical crux, after which it reaches the starting holds of Pure Dreaming. In practice, the plus version tackles 40 wildly overhanging moves before embarking up the huge Pure Dreaming journey.

The first to free this connection was Adam Ondra while Rogora, evidently on unstoppable form, now claims the first repeat. Her brilliant ascent marks a historic moment, not only for Italian sport climbing.

Currently the apex of women’s climbing stands at 9b, thanks to Eiter who in 2017 took everyone except herself by surprise with her repeat of La planta de Shiva at Villanueva del Rosario in Spain.

Links: FB Laura Rogora, Instagram Laura Rogora, Camp, Wild Climb

Laura Rogora outdoors
12/2014 Ciccio Formaggio 8c Grotta dell’Aerenauta Sperlonga, repeat. Her first 8c aged 13.
04/2015 Il Corvo 8c, Ferentillo, repeat
02/2016 Grandi Gesti, 9a Sperlonga, repeat
08/2016 Wallstreet 8c Frankenjura, Germany, repeat
11/2016 Tomorrowland extension 8c+/9a, Cueva di Collepardo, first ascent
12/2016 Supercrack 8b+/8c, Cueva di Collepardo, first ascent
01/2017 Joe Blau 8c+, Oliana, Spain, repeat
01/2017 La Gasparata, 8c+/9a, Cueva di Collepardo, first ascent
02/2017 Joe-cita 9a, Oliana, repeat
03/2017 Ercole 8c/+, Cueva di Collepardo, first ascent
12/2017 It segid narg 8c+, Grotta dell'Arenauta Sperlonga, first ascent
04/2018 Sitting Bull 8c+/9a, Cueva di Collepardo, first ascent
01/2019 Esclatamasters 9a, Perles, Spain, repeat
06/2019 Rèveille-toi, 9a, Cueva di Collepardo, first ascent
12/2019 Pal Norte 8c+/9a, Margalef, repeat
01/2020 La Bongada 9a, Margalef, repeat
01/2020 L-mens 8b+ Montsant, onsight
03/2020 Corvo Morto 8c+/9a Ferentillo, first ascent
05/2020 Riflessi and Terra Piatta, 8c, Monte Colt, both second go
05/2020 Pure Dreaming, 9a, Massone, Arco, 9 attempts
05/2020 Pure Dreaming Plus, 9a+, Massone, Arco

TOPO: Massone, Arco

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PURE DREAMING PLUS went down faster than I expected and yesterday I could clip the chain of my first 9a+!! @steghiso . . #climbing_pictures_of_instagram #picoftheday #loveclimbing #climbforlife #escalade #escalada #grimper #klettern #montura #wildclimb #campcassin #italy #rome #bomber #instagood #instalike #instagram @climbskinspain @agripp_climbingholds @montura_official @wildclimb @fiammeoromoena @dao_sport

A post shared by laura rogora (@laura.rogora) on May 30, 2020 at 12:17pm PDT