Michaela Kiersch climbs Victima perfecta (9a+) at Margalef, onsights Crimptonite (8b+) at Oliana

Michaela Kiersch continues to inspire. After spending a month at Margalef in Spain at the end of last year, during which she repeated the likes of Era Vella (9a), Victimes del futur (9a) and Coma sant pere (8c+), the 29-year-old pro climber and Doctor of occupational therapy has now upped the ante and repeated one of the classic 9a+ of the crag, Victima perfecta.

Kiersch started this season's Margalef trip with repeats of Combifetis (8c), Victimas del Passat R1 (8c/+) and Victimas del Passat R2 (8c+), then knuckled down and worked her way up Victima perfecta located in the "wondrously steep and beautiful Finestra sector".

Her longest project to date, this is now her second 9a+ after La Rambla at Siurana in January 2023. Speaking to planetmountain briefly after the send, she explained that "it felt like the biggest challenge to me."

Kiersch is evidently on supreme form and a quick trip to nearby Oliana resulted in an onsight ascent of Crimptonite. This is her first onsight of an 8b+, or 5.14a in American grades.

Kiersch thanks her sponsors: La Sportiva, Petzl, Organic Climbing