Spanish competition climber Jorge Díaz-Rullo has just sent a 9a+/b and a 9a in the same day. The route “Following the leader” 9a+/b is in Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Originally a 9a+ put up by Pablito Barbera and first repeated by Ramon Julian. Since the first ascent, some of the holds have come off and Jorge proposes it now as a 9a+/b – meaning in between the grades 9a+ and 9b.
Later in the day he sent “El intento deseado“, a 9a also in Cuenca. This route was only just put up and had it’s FA by Alex Garriga just four days ago. The route is a linkup of “El intento” and “La deseado” (“The intent” and “The desire”, forming “The desired intent”). Jorge reported the climb on his instagram and let us know these were his 20th and 21st climbs in the 9 grade!
Jorge is incredibly strong and very motivated. He has sent a huge amount of hard sport routes. In this area alone he has the first ascent of two 9a and two 9a+ routes. We reported Jorge when he sent the 9b “Ali Hulk Extension Total Sit Start” recently too. Sponsored by E9, La Sportiva, Mushroom Pads, and Climb Skin.
For such a young age Jorge Díaz-Rullo has a great back catalogue and seems absolutely committed to climbing the hardest sports routes out there. Living in Spain helps, and this time of year the weather is settled enough for great conditions for sends. His objectives for this year are to climb fifty 8c or higher routes (done!), climb ten boulders of 8b or higher (done!), to climb twenty 9 grades this year and to onsight an 8c sport route. He has climbed three confirmed 9b routes in his career and his hardest boulder is an 8C.
