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Michaela Kiersch Does Era Vella (5.14d)
Kiersch (28) has repeated Era Vella, Chris Sharma’s classic line at Margalef. The route, formerly the world’s most repeated 5.14d, was downgraded in 2016 after a consensus was reached on 8a.nu and for the guidebook (as well as in the Vertical Life database). However, after a critical foot broke, the route was upgraded back to its original grade.
In January, Kiersch sent La Rambla (5.15a) in Siurana, and in doing so became, by our reckoning, the first woman ever to have sent both a confirmed 5.15a and V14 (of which, she’s sent several, including New Base Line and Tigris Sit, both in Magic Wood). Era Vella marks her third 9a or harder.
“It’s a completely different style to most of the harder routes I’ve tried because we don’t have a ton of super long routes in the states,” Kiersch told Climbing. “It was such a good challenge for me because I wasn’t feeling my fittest after a long and chill summer. Era Vella is a super long (45-50m) route with lots of mini boulders and only one obvious rest on two 3-finger pockets. It was fun to see myself and my fitness progress while here.”
When asked what’s next, Kiersch simply said, “Hopefully some more hard routes!” She will be in Margalef for another week and a half.
Stefano Ghisolfi Makes Quick Work of Action Directe (5.14d)
The 30-year-old Italian made quick work of the infamous Action Directe after spending just three days on the climb in 2017 and an additional three days this past week. As the world’s first 5.14d (or second, given Hubble’s upgrade), the historic testpiece hosts over 30 logged ascents.
Ghisolfi attempted to unlock the upper crux with his own innovative, albeit “low percentage,” heel hook. After a failed attempt using the heel hook, he opted for the more powerful yet standard beta, sending on his third go of the day. “I’m grateful to be able to climb this piece of history of our sport,” he wrote on Instagram.
Behind Ondra, Seb Bouin, and Jakob Schubert, Ghisolfi is one of the world’s best sport climbers, having sent a whopping four 5.15c’s. Ghisolfi’s stopover in the Frankenjura served as merely a detour on his way home following a trip to Flatanger, where he was making progress on Adam Ondra’s Silence.
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Nicholas Milburn Does Flex Luthor (5.15a)
It was a first of the grade for the 28-year-old. “Climbing Flex feels like wrestling a bear,” Milburn told Climbing. “Even before the mid-point I was huffing and puffing, but I just kept on going. The route is incredibly physical, but there are opportunities to recover. When I clipped the chains I remember being a little worried I didn’t start from the bottom. I suppose I must have blacked out a little.”
Full interview on the ascent coming soon.