The German professional climber Alexander Megos succeeds in a flash ascent of the underground route (9a) in the Massone climbing area.
Announced again Alex Megos a success message. For once it's not a bouldering block in the Frankenjura and no 9c in Céüsebut a 9a route. The special thing about it: Alex climbed the route flash. So he never tried the moves on the route and scored the route - based on information from other climbers - in the first attempt.
I have already climbed 9a onsight
While inspections of 9a routes were a sensation a few years ago, there are more and more climbers who crack this level. However, climbing a route in the ninth degree of French flash or even onsight is still a rarity.
In 2013, Alex Megos wrote the onsight inspection (without information about the route) of Estado Critico Climbing history. Beside him only managed Adam Ondra. It was Adam who was able to climb a 9a + in the first attempt, but based on information about the route (flash).
Is underground really 9a?
Apparently, Underground was originally rated 8c + / 9a and only recently traded as 9a. The professional climber Jorg Verhoeven writes:
The grip in the key point has magically got bigger and bigger over the years and it is obviously in the past that the route was originally rated 8c + / 9a.
Jorg Verhoeven
When asked by Jorg Verhoevenas to whether Alex would give the route a 9a, the German replied: “I think underground is very easy for a 9a. 8c + / 9a certainly fits better than rating. And to be honest: I climbed a lot of 8c + that were harder than underground. ”Whatever the level of difficulty, the performance of Alex Megos is impressive.
Alexander Megos during the Flash inspection of Underground (9a)
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Credits: Cover picture Dicki basket