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In rock climbing, a first free ascent (FFA) is the first documented redpoint, onsight or flash of a single-pitch, big wall (multi-pitch), or boulder route that did not involve using aid equipment to help progression or resting; the ascent must therefore be performed in either a sport, a traditional, or a free solo manner. First-free-ascents that set new grade milestones are important events in rock climbing history, and are listed below. While sport climbing has dominated absolute-grade milestones since the mid-1980s (i.e. are now the highest grades), milestones for modern traditional climbing, free solo climbing, onsighted, and flashed ascents, are also listed.
A route's grade is provisional until enough climbers have repeated the route to have a "consensus". At the highest grades, this can take years as few climbers are capable of repeating these routes. For example, in 2001, Realization was considered the world's first 9a+ (5.15a), however, the first repeat of the 1996 route Open Air, which only happened in 2008, suggested that it was possibly the first 9a+ (5.15a). Open Air has had no further repeats, and has had holds broken since 1996, whereas Realization has had many ascents and is thus a "consensus" 9a+. Therefore, where known, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ranked candidates are also chronicled. [1] [2]
9c (5.15d): [lower-alpha 1]
9b+ (5.15c): [lower-alpha 2]
9b (5.15b): [lower-alpha 3] [lower-alpha 4] [lower-alpha 5]
9a+ (5.15a): [lower-alpha 6] [lower-alpha 7]
9a (5.14d):
8c+ (5.14c):
8c (5.14b): [lower-alpha 8]
8b+ (5.14a): [lower-alpha 9]
8b (5.13d): [lower-alpha 10]
8a+ (5.13c) [lower-alpha 11]
Many of the notable first ascents that achieved a new highest grade pre The Face are traditional climbing routes; they are presented for completeness.
8a (5.13b) [lower-alpha 12]
7c+ (5.13a)
7c (5.12d)
7b+ (5.12c)
7b (5.12b)
7a+ (5.12a)
7a (5.11d)
9b (5.15b): [lower-alpha 13]
9a+ (5.15a):
9a/9a+ :
9a (5.14d): [lower-alpha 14] [lower-alpha 15]
8c+ (5.14c):
8c (5.14b):
8b+ (5.14a):
8b (5.13d):
8a+ (5.13c):
8a (5.13b):
Many of the notable first female ascents that achieved a new highest grade pre Fleur de Rocaille, are traditional climbing routes; they are presented for completeness.
7c+ (5.13a):
7c (5.12d):
7b+ (5.12c):
7b (5.12b):
With route beta on the internet, the distinction between an onsight (no prior beta) and a flash (had prior beta) is less relevant; it is recorded where noted.
9a+ (5.15a):
9a (5.14d):
8c+ (5.14c):
8c (5.14b):
8b+ (5.14a):
8b (5.13d):
8a+ (5.13c):
8a (5.13b):
7c+ (5.13a):
7c (5.12d):
7b+ (5.12c):
With route beta on the internet, the distinction between an onsight (no prior beta) and a flash (had prior beta) is less relevant; it is recorded where noted.
8c (5.14b): [lower-alpha 16]
8b+ (5.14a): [lower-alpha 17] [lower-alpha 18]
8b (5.13d):
8a+ (5.13c):
8a (5.13b):
Notable free-solos above 7c (5.12d) range; does not include "highball" boulder ascents as the climbers here did not use padding or spotters. [101]
8c (5.14b):
8b+ (5.14a):
8b (5.13d):
8a+ (5.13c):
8a (5.13b):
7c (5.12d)
7b (5.12b)
9A (V17): [lower-alpha 19] [lower-alpha 20]
8C+ (V16): [lower-alpha 21]
8C (V15): [lower-alpha 22] [lower-alpha 23]
8B+ (V14): [lower-alpha 24]
8B (V13):
8A+ (V12): [lower-alpha 25]
8A (V11):
7C+ (V10):
7C (V9):
7B+ (V8):
7B (V8):
7A (V6):
6A (V3):
8C (V15):
8B+ (V14):
8B (V13): [lower-alpha 26]
8A+ (V12):
8A (V11):
7C+/8A :
7C+ (V10):
7C (V9):
7B+ (V8):
Given the smaller number of entries, the sections combine overall and female ascents:
9a (5.14d):
8c (5.14b):
8b+ (5.14a):
8a+ (5.13c):
8a (5.13b):
7c+ (5.13a):
7b+ (5.12c):
7c+ (5.13a):
7b+ (5.12c):
7b (5.12b):
7a+ (5.12a):
9b (5.15b) (unconfirmed):
9a+ (5.15a):
Chris Omprakash Sharma is an American rock climber who is considered one of the greatest and most influential climbers in the history of the sport. He dominated sport climbing for the decade after his 2001 ascent of Realization/Biographie, the world's first-ever redpoint of a consensus 9a+ (5.15a) graded route, and ushered in what was called a "technical evolution" in the sport. Sharma carried the mantle of "world's strongest sport climber" from Wolfgang Gullich, and passed it to Adam Ondra.
David Ethan Graham is an American professional rock climber. Professing to enjoy bouldering the most, he is one of the elite sport climbers and boulderers of his generation. Graham repeats classic routes or boulder problems as well as performing cutting-edge first ascents. He is known for climbing, in 2005 an 8C (V15) boulder problem. He is also known for his stance against grade inflation and for his strong anti-chipping ethic. He writes an ongoing blog for the website of Climbing Magazine.
Realization, also called Biographie, is a circa 35-metre (115 ft) sport climbing route on a limestone cliff on the southern face of Céüse mountain, near Gap and Sigoyer, in France. After it was first climbed in 2001 by American climber Chris Sharma, it became the first rock climb in the world to have a consensus grade of 9a+ (5.15a). It is considered an historic and important route in rock climbing, and one of the most attempted climbs at its grade.
Fred Rouhling is a French rock climber and boulderer, noted for creating and repeating some of the earliest grade 9a (5.14d) sport climbing routes in the world, including Hugh in 1993, the first-ever French 9a (5.14d) sport route. Rouhling is also known for the controversy from his proposed grading of 9b (5.15b) for his 1995 route Akira, which would have made it the world's first-ever 9b-graded sport route; 25 years later, it was graded at 9a (5.14d).
Steve McClure is a British rock climber and climbing author, who is widely regarded as Britain's leading and most important sport climber for a period that extends for over two decades, starting from the late 1990s. In 2017, he created Rainman, Britain's first-ever 9b (5.15b) sport route, and by that stage was responsible for developing the majority of routes graded 9a (5.14d) and above in Britain. McClure has also been one of the most successful British traditional climbers, and British onsight climbers.
Yuji Hirayama is a Japanese rock climber specializing in lead climbing competitions. He won two Lead World Cups, in 1998 and in 2000. He is notable for being the first-ever climber to onsight an 8c (5.14b) route, and for his various speed records on El Capitan.
Josune Bereziartu, also known as Josune Bereciartu Urruzola, is a Basque rock climber. For a decade starting in the late 1990s, she was considered the strongest female sport climber in the world and is regarded as one of the most important female rock climbers in history.
Ramón Julián Puigblanque is a professional Spanish rock climber specializing in lead climbing competitions. He won two World Championships, in 2007 and 2011, three European Championships, in 2004 2010 and 2015, and one Lead Climbing World Cup in 2010. From 2001 to 2016, he participated in 16 seasons of the World Cup, winning 21 World Cup stages. He has also climbed many routes of 9a (5.14d) and harder.
In the history of rock climbing, the three main sub-disciplines—bouldering, single-pitch climbing, and big wall climbing—can trace their origins to late 19th-century Europe. Bouldering started in Fontainebleau, and was advanced by Pierre Allain in the 1930s, and John Gill in the 1950s. Big wall climbing started in the Dolomites, and was spread across the Alps in the 1930s by climbers such as Emilio Comici and Riccardo Cassin, and in the 1950s by Walter Bonatti, before reaching Yosemite where it was led in the 1950s to 1970s by climbers such as Royal Robbins. Single-pitch climbing started pre-1900 in both the Lake District and in Saxony, and by the 1970s had spread widely with climbers such as Ron Fawcett (Britain), Bernd Arnold (Germany), Patrick Berhault (France), Ron Kauk and John Bachar (USA).
Adam Ondra is a Czech professional rock climber, specializing in lead climbing and bouldering. In 2013, Rock & Ice described Ondra as a prodigy and the leading climber of his generation. Ondra is the only male athlete to have won World Championship titles in both disciplines in the same year (2014) and is also the only male athlete to have won the World Cup series in both disciplines.
La Rambla is a 41-metre (135 ft) sport climb at the limestone El Pati crag in Siurana, Catalonia in Spain. Originally bolted and climbed by Alexander Huber in 1994 as a 35-metre (115 ft) route, the bolting was later extended by Dani Andrada to a 41-metre (135 ft) route, which was eventually climbed by Ramón Julián Puigblanque in 2003. While there has been debate about La Rambla's grade, there is now consensus that it meets the 9a+ (5.15a) threshold. It is an important and historic route in climbing, and is part of the coveted "9a+ trilogy" with Realization and Papichulo.
Ashima Shiraishi is an American rock climber. Shiraishi started climbing at the age of six at Rat Rock in Central Park, joining her father. Only a few years later, she quickly established herself as one of the top boulderers and sport climbers in the world. Her numerous accolades include first-place finishes in international competitions, and multiple first female and youngest ascents. Shiraishi is featured in several short documentary-style films, and is the subject of the documentary short "Return to the Red" (2012).
Angela "Angy" Eiter is an Austrian professional rock climber. She is a champion in lead climbing competitions, winning three IFSC Lead Climbing World Cups in a row, from 2004 to 2006 and four IFSC World Championships. In 2011, she achieved her 25th win in World Cup and her 42nd podium. She is also one of the strongest sport climbers in the world, and in 2017, became the first-ever female in history to climb a 9b (5.15b) route, La Planta de Shiva. In 2020, she became the first-ever female in history to complete the first free ascent of a 9b (5.15b) route, Madame Ching.
Alexander Megos is a German rock climber. He was the first climber to on-sight a route graded 9a (5.14d). He has completed multiple routes and boulder problems that are notoriously difficult, including two 9b+ (5.15c) routes, six 9b (5.15b) routes, and some boulders with a confirmed 8C (V15) rating.
La Dura Dura is a 50-metre (160 ft) sport climbing route on the limestone cliffs at Peramola, a village in Oliana, Spain. The route was bolted and developed by American climber Chris Sharma in 2009 who had almost given up believing he could climb it until a collaboration with Czech climber Adam Ondra led to Ondra climbing the route on 7 February 2013, followed by Sharma on 23 March 2013.
Jakob Schubert is an Austrian professional rock climber, sport climber and boulderer. He was World Champion and World Cup winner in Lead climbing. He has redpointed to 9b+ (5.15c). In August 2021, he won bronze at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. As of the end of 2022, Shubert had won the most men’s IFSC gold medals of any competitive climber in history.
Stefano Ghisolfi is an Italian professional rock climber and sport climber. He participates in international climbing competitions in three disciplines: lead, bouldering, and speed, and has had his best results in lead climbing. As a rock climber, he had redpointed routes of grade 9b+ (5.15c), onsighted routes of 8c (5.14b) and solved boulders at grade 8B+ (V14). In December 2018, after climbing Perfecto Mundo, he became the fourth climber in history to redpoint a 9b+ (5.15c) route.
Patxi Usobiaga Lakunza, best known as Patxi Usobiaga, is a Spanish professional rock climber, sports climber and boulderer. He is known for winning two Lead Climbing World Cups in a row, and for being the first-ever climber in history to onsight an 8c+ (5.14c) route.
Silence, is a 45-metre (148 ft) severely overhanging sport climbing route in the granite Hanshelleren Cave, in Flatanger, Norway. When it was first climbed by Czech climber Adam Ondra on 3 September 2017, it became the first rock climb in the world to have a proposed climbing grade of 9c (5.15d), and it is an important route in rock climbing history. To complete the route, Ondra undertook specialist physical and mental training to overcome its severely overhanging terrain. As of February 2023, Silence remains unrepeated.
Sébastien Bouin, nicknamed Seb Bouin, is a French rock climber born in Draguignan. By 2022, Bouin was regarded as one of the strongest sport climbers in the world, being only the second-ever climber to establish a route graded 9c (5.15d), with DNA in 2022, and one of only a handful of climbers to create a new route at the grade of 9b+ (5.15c). Bouin is also regarded for his documentary series on the history of extreme sport climbing in France.
When I asked Hong what he thought about it, he said that after breaking roughly half a dozen handholds and 20 footholds off the route in his early attempts, he could say with confidence that the climb had changed, though he couldn't weigh in on how those changes had changed the grade, nor could he measure the impact of the climbers who'd attempted to the climb before him.
After breaking multiple holds on the route, Hong upgraded it to 15b, adding that it was unclear just how much the route has changed since it was originally established and how hard it was when Caldwell made the first ascent.
The other interesting point about Open Air that's worth mentioning is that the route reportedly contains some rather flaky holds that have broken off over the years. So was the Open Air that Ondra climbed the exact same route that Alex Huber climbed? Maybe, but probably not.
Dead Line 8b
It was at the famous Luberon crag Buoux that Edlinger first began to leave his indelible mark, climbing numerous routes up to 7a solo (such as the exposed Pilier des Fourmis), succeeding 30 years ago in the world's first 7b on-sight (Captain crochet) and then, in that magic 1982 and still at Buoux, managing to on-sight the world's first 7c, La polka des ringards.
[In 1982] 'I was so pissed off', says Bachar, 'That I went to Joshua Tree and soloed Baby Apes,' a 60-foot 5.12b/c he'd previously top roped but never led, thereby making the first "lead" of the now-classic line.