Five Things Friday – Top Climbing Stories – 29th March

Back again with another round up of the top climbing news stories from the news in the last week or so. It’s nearly the weekend so get pumped up and ready for the official start of the climbing season!

1 – Margo Hayes climbs her third 9a+ “Papichulo”

Straight out of the gate Margo Hayes is killing it. “Papichulo” 9a+ is another Sharma classic at 45 meters in Oliana. Read Margo Hayes insta post below, hopefully we’ll get a video of this insanely pumpy climb soon.

Margo is now truly established as one of the hardest female climbers of our time and may well be the future of the sport. With her first 9a+ the “La Rambla” extension in Siruana, Spain in 2017 she became the first female to climb 9a+. Later that year in Ceuse she repeated the Sharma endurance fest “Biographie” 9a+.

“Papichulo” is on the same wall as “La Dura Dura”, the famed 9b+ that Sharma bolted and Adam Ondra first sent. As well, on this same stretch of masively overhanging wall are four other 9a+ routes and three 9b’s. As Margo has said she loved climbing on Spanish limestone, this could well be the next 9a+ or even the first 9b for the potential US Olympic medalist.

2 – Jacopo Larcher finishes his crazy hard trad project “Tribe” – Won’t grade it

Check out this lovely and inspiring post from Jacopo Larcher on his recent triumph on a long-term trad project. The climb doesn’t have a grade though is likely 14d or 15a and most likely the hardest trad climb in the world. He named it after the friendliness of locals in helping with the route, belaying and also shown to him by a local of the area. Larcher seems to really get a lot from the comunity that climbing offers and we love his approach to climbing and life.

Hailing from Italy and living in Austria, Jacopo only started trad climbing around the time he started this project. He was obviously crushing hard sport routes previously. Rock and Ice have a great interview with Jacopo about the route.

3 – Paraclimbing removed from IFSC World Championships – Get it back!

In a shameful move, the IFSC have decided to move the Paraclimbing section of the World Championships in 2019 to a seperate event in a different country at a completely different time. The IFSC blames a “scheduling conflict” on the decision. You can help to make sure that Paraclimbing is part of the main event by signing this petition and also getting in touch with the IFSC to voice your concerns directly through these links or using their twitter, facebook or instagram.

This devalues what disabled athletes do and sends a crappy message. Get involved and get the IFSC to make it right.

4 – Watch this awesome Hazel Findlay free solo film

Sheffield local Hazel Findlay is a hard climber with a massive trad background. “Free Flow” is a great little short on Hazel going for a run in idyllic settings, scaling a huge wall in free solo style, followed by a quick run across a knife edge peak. It’s a lush video and worth the five minutes.

5 – Big Sales ending soon

Just as the climbing season starts we get some big sales and coupon offers, right in time to get that key bit of gear. Backcountry are offering 20% off one item by using the code TAKE20MARCH and clicking this link. REI are also offering 20% off one item, as well as 20% off one outlet (returned items) item with the code MEMPERK2019 through this link.

Both codes and sales are only good for a few more days, most likely only until the end of March i.e. two days! Get on them quick and maybe get a nice helmet whilst you’re there.