The American Drew Ruana is currently unstoppable: In Coal Creek, Colorado, he managed three boulders of grade 8C or harder within two weeks, including two first ascents. His latest trick is called Maxwell's Demon Sit and it checks in at 8C+.
What is Drew Ruana recently pulled off is definitely next level: In December he climbed his hundredth boulder with The Phoenix in grade 8b+ or harder. And even in the new year, the 23-year-old never got tired of climbing one difficult line after the other.
"I'm feeling pretty strong at the moment and I hope that I can soon commit to other projects that have been resisting for years."
Drew Ruana
At the beginning of February he secured the third ascent of the Daniel Woods line Everything gneiss (8C). A week later he managed the first ascent of Fox and the Hound sit (8C) and a few days ago he added a sit start to his own Maxwell's Demons line, creating the next 8C+ in his palmares.
Drew Ruana on the first ascent of Maxwell's Demon (8b +)
Sitting start: Plus seven 8B moves
Maxwell's Demon Sit (8C+) adds seven finger- and wrist-heavy moves in the 8B range to Drew Ruana's line from October last year. When asked what challenged him the most with his most recent 8C+, the strong American replies: “Nothing particularly challenged me with this line. I just feel really strong at the moment and the style suits me."
8C+? So no big deal for the 23-year-old. So it should only be a matter of time before Drew Ruana cracks grade 9a. Even though he has been planning the Megatron Raboutou 9A line for almost five years, his statements make you sit up and take notice: “I feel pretty strong at the moment and I hope that I will soon be able to commit to other projects that have been resisting for years.”
That might interest you
- Drew Ruana opens 8C+ mega roof Boulder Bookkeeping
- Video of Drew Ruana in Insomniac (8C+)
- Pete Whittaker and Sean Villanueva conquer icy offwidth crack
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Credits: Cover picture Paul Robinson