The Frenchman Sébastien Bouin manages to repeat the (formerly) hardest sport climbing routes in Italy: Lapsus (9b). Lapsus definitely loses the title of “hardest route in Italy” after Bouin’s repetition; he states the difficulty as 9a+.
For once, the 9c depreciator Stefano Ghisolfi has been hit. He rated the route Lapsus near Andonno, which he first climbed in 2015, with 9b. Adam Ondra grabbed the first repetition two years later and critically questioned the degree. Marcello Bombardi also tended to downgrade, although it should be noted that Bombardi climbed the tour with a kneepad - in contrast to Ghisolfi.
The American Jonathan Siegrist also tended to downgrade it; he spoke of an “easy 9b” if the route was climbed without a kneepad. So there were consistently critical comments in a clear direction.
The most recent repeater, Seb Bouin, confirms his assessment of what happened and says:
I join the other repeaters of the route, I think the route is easier than 9b, although it is completely my climbing style. I give the route 9a+.
Seb Bouin
Stefano Ghisolfi on the first ascent of Lapsus | Video
One thing is clear: the route no longer deserves grade 9b and therefore loses the title of “Italy’s most difficult route”. So for once Stefano Ghisolfi has been hit with devaluation. He caused quite a stir when he suggested a downgrade to 9b+ during the first repetition of the Bibliography route. The first ascent Alexander Megos rated the route 9c.
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Credits: Images Clarisse Bompard
