Nils Favre from western Switzerland successfully climbs the Ticino ultra-classic Off the Wagon (8b +). A long-term dream for the Swiss elite climber.
It's not the toughest boulder ever Nils could climb in his career, but one of the most important. Off the Wagon is one of the most famous bouldering lines in the world. The boulder became known in Val Bavona through the film Dosage in which Chris Sharma the line is configured.
This boulder was one of my biggest sources of inspiration while bouldering when I was a kid.
Nils Favre
Nils spent numerous days trying the first move over and over with no noticeable progress. Last year he made the move twice, with a minor injury to his shoulder. The year 2021 began in Tessin, anything but optimal. Lots of snow and low temperatures made climbing on most of the blocks impossible in most areas.
I'm really emotional about this line. I know that I can climb much more difficult boulders, but for Off the Wagon I had to break free mentally.
Nils Favre
A few days ago Nils returned to Off the Wagon and was able to climb the first train three times - but he could not attach the second train. On Wednesday, February 17, 2021, he came back to Val Bavona accompanied by his buddies - and successfully climbed one of his absolute dream lines.
Nils Favre lines up the dynamic trains of Off the Wagon
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Credits: Cover picture Nils Favre