In November 2025, after four years and 211 attempts, Italian climber Elias Iagnemma topped his hardest boulder problem to date. The 30-year-old graded the unfinished project by climbing legend Christian Core at the previously unassigned 9A+ – a powerful statement to the climbing world! Now he's speaking in detail about "Exodia" for the first time.
Elias Iagnemma has with »exodus“In Val Pellice (Piedmont, Italy), Iagnemma has completed a project that could have a lasting impact on the bouldering scene. The boulder combines two extremely demanding lines: a hard 8B+ followed by a kneebar and then an 8C+. Iagnemma describes the boulder as the greatest challenge of his life. In this interview, he talks about his experiences working on the project for many years, the moves that make up Exodia, and much more.”
Elias Iagnemma on Exodia
How did you discover Exodia?
Elias: I discovered Exodia in 2021 while driving home with my wife, Stefania Colomba, after a long climb at Rifugio Barbara. She told me about Christian and how he hadn't managed to complete the project. My first thought was that it must be something truly extreme if he couldn't climb it. I got out of the car and stared in awe at that enormous roof. That awe instantly transformed into deep motivation and pure euphoria.
Has Exodia been your main focus over the past four years? Approximately how many months a year did you spend on the project?
Elias: Yes – Exodia was the center of my life during those years. Every training session and every thought revolved around it. Climbing and trying other routes took a backseat. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but when I climbed something else, I felt "held back" by the thought that even the slightest injury would completely throw me off balance because I wouldn't be able to climb Exodia anymore.
I avoided anything that could hinder the process, even if it meant foregoing the pure joy of climbing. But for me, Exodia represented the greatest challenge of my climbing life, and I wanted to meet that challenge fully, even at the expense of pleasure.
The boulder is located at an altitude of about 1500 meters, and I was able to attempt it for about six months of the year: three months from spring to the middle of summer and three months in autumn.
Take us back to your first sessions. What do you remember most about them? How long did it take you to understand the movements, and when did you first feel like you were actually making progress?
Elias: In the first few sessions, I even had trouble identifying the holds. The roof is full of shapes that look almost identical, and it was extremely difficult to find the right holds. I managed to sketch out a few individual moves, but the others were really extreme.
It took me a long time to find the right sequence, especially in the second half of the boulder problem. The first half is also tricky, with many possible solutions – all difficult – and I had to adapt each move to my strengths.
Both sections are extremely complex, and the serpentinite is so smooth that there's almost no grip. The first real turning point came in 2023 when I finally climbed the second part in one go from the "Bat Rest." At that moment, I thought: Okay, I can do this. It then took me another two years to link everything together.
How long did it take to send each individual section? Can you describe the parts you broke Exodia into?
Elias: In the early years, I started the first section in a crouch on two underclings because starting from a seated position seemed impossible. Recognizing the value of that undercling from a seated position was inconceivable to me at the time. I finally climbed the first section with this start about a year later, after finding the optimal beta. Then, this season, either due to a moment of clarity or exceptional form, I managed the seated start and transformed the route into what I consider the perfect version.
The first half consists of total compression on slippery holds. The first crux is evaluating the undercling from a seated position, the second using a flat hold to move your feet before launching into the more extreme section. After countless training sessions refining the beta and perfecting the execution, I estimate this first half at around 8B+ – perhaps even higher, as I've climbed several 8C boulders in fewer training sessions.
The second half was the most time-consuming – not because of the beta, as there's really only one option, but because of the sheer difficulty. First, a very hard move from a slippery, flat hold to a tiny 1,5-centimeter-wide edge under the roof, then a jump to a perfect pinch. And then comes the extreme part: two heel hooks on smooth serpentine with extremely low friction, moving the left hand to a pinch under the roof. All the while, you have to maintain perfect heel tension to avoid slipping.
A final compression on an underhand grip follows. Once you hold this, the difficult part is over, but you can still fall if you're not clear-headed.
In my opinion, this second section has a difficulty level of about 8C+.
How would you describe the overall style of Exodia? What makes this boulder unique or more challenging compared to other lines you've climbed?
Elias: The main feature is the almost complete lack of friction on the serpentinite – that's unique. The style is incredibly diverse and encompasses almost every type of move found in bouldering: compressions, crimps, slopers, pinches, toe hooks, heel hooks… Exodia combines the best outdoor climbing moves into a single boulder problem. That's one of the reasons I've stuck with it all these years – every move is special and incredibly satisfying to execute.
When did you realize that Exodia was not only possible, but something you could actually send one day?
Elias: After two years, I realized that both sections were solvable. This meant that the entire boulder was possible. Nevertheless, I couldn't imagine when I would send it. I knew I could do it and started every session expecting to succeed. But each time, the boulder rejected me. By the time I finally succeeded, I had ironically stopped thinking about the achievement. I had already accepted that the season was over and was already thinking about the next one. On November 11th, I happened to have time, was in the best shape of my life, and the conditions were ideal. My body knew everything; my mind stopped interfering.
What emotions are associated with your proposal to grade Exodia 9A+? When did you first feel that this boulder could truly be a step above everything else?
Elias: Choosing the difficulty grade was an extremely difficult internal decision. I considered not giving it a grade, but that would have meant Exodia would have been born with me and died with me. Maybe yes, maybe no – nobody can know, because I decided to take responsibility and submit my suggestion. What led me to this difficult decision – aside from the number of attempts – is the fact that Exodia is without a doubt the hardest boulder I have ever climbed or attempted.
Of course, this is just my personal opinion, but I couldn't have reconciled a different rating with my conscience. I hope that one day top climbers will attempt it and hopefully repeat it, in order to give a more concrete assessment.
Whether it's confirmed or downgraded is completely irrelevant to me – I climbed Exodia solely for myself. Not because of the number next to his name or what he means to others. But because Exodia will always remain the most important achievement of my life.
How does it feel to suggest a rating that no one has submitted before?
Elias: What can I say – I'm at peace with myself. Of course, I often think about the rating I gave Exodia, but my conviction remains unchanged. I understand and accept all the criticism surrounding this rating, but it doesn't influence my decision. I'm not afraid of criticism – it's simply additional motivation for future projects.
How do you personally interpret the difference between 9A and 9A+? Is it the movements, the length, the style, the complexity, or something else?
Elias: That's hard to say, it's very subjective. But one thing I've noticed: many current 9A boulders usually have an 8B section and an 8C section – sometimes divided by moves, sometimes by sequences. Exodia has an 8B+ section and an 8C+ section. So there had to be something more. That "something" is, in my opinion, the suggested grade of difficulty – although only time and future repetitions will confirm this.
Were there pivotal moments when your self-confidence grew – or collapsed? How did you deal with it?
Elias: I always believed I could conquer the boulder. I never lost that belief. I was often discouraged, it's true – but somehow the flame inside me never went out. It may have waned, but it never completely died, and at the end of each season, it was rekindled. I often thought about giving up. But as I've said before, I'm extremely persistent and would probably have kept trying until my body gave out.
After a four-year journey with 211 sessions – what's next? Do you need a break or do you already have a new big project in mind?
Now I'm going to take some time to train and enjoy a trip to Fontainebleau, with the goal of climbing as many classic routes as possible and rediscovering the pure joy of climbing. And then I'll definitely check out "Soudain Seoul".
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Credits: Cover photo: Paolo Marengo / La Sportiva