The top German climber Alex Megos was on a late visit to the south of Switzerland and announced the ascent of two classic boulders: Dreamtime and The Story of two Worlds (8c). He also raises questions about climbing ethics.
It was on his to-do list for a long time, probably the most famous boulder in the world: Dreamtime in Cresciano. First climbed by the Swiss bouldering legend Fred Nicole Dreamtime was the first 8c boulder in the world and in the following years attracted countless climbing professionals to Ticino.
This boulder was definitely on my to-do list: Dreamtime!
Alexander Megos.
Returned after six years of abstinence from Ticino Alexander Megos. back to the popular granite blocks in Switzerland's sun parlor and took advantage of the low temperatures in December. After just two days of planning, Alex cracked the area's ultra-classic.
Second stop: The Story of two Worlds
On the other side of the bouldering block is a second line that Alexander Megos tackled. The story of two worlds was from the American Dave Graham First climbed in 2005 and the list of repeaters of this line reads like a who's who of the climbing scene: Dai Koyamada, Paul Robinson, Jernej Kruder, Giuliano Cameroni, Jimmy Webb, Jan Hojer, to name just a few.
Alexander Megos cannot resist the line The Story of Two Worlds for long either. The German invested a total of four days in repeating the boulder.
Alex Megos raises questions about ethics
With the repetition of The Story, Alexander Megos criticizes the inspection and evaluation ethics in the bouldering scene. Specifically, it is about whether every repetition of The Story can be rated with 8c or not. Because the bouldering line is not only climbed in very different ways, but also sometimes with a Kneepad and sometimes without a Kneepad.
I would like to see more awareness within the climbing scene in terms of ethics, style and evaluation.
Alexander Megos.
Alex Megos calls for the focus to be on the “how” and not the mere fact of having climbed a boulder or a route. In his opinion, climbers need to be more transparent when it comes to how a line was climbed and whether or not a kneepad was used for the ascent.
The boulder can be climbed so differently: Dai Koyamada vs. Sebastian Cotting
That might interest you
- Film: Alex Megos climbs bibliography (9c)
- Conflict in Frankenjura - Alex Megos and Markus Bock declare war to each other
- Alexander Megos: First ascent of the 9c route Bibliographie in Céüse
- Brushpoint: Alex Megos invents a new climbing style
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Credits: Cover picture Smooth