The popular Bernese sports climbing area is one more attraction richer: Matthias König celebrates with Finite Infinity the first 9a of the area near Interlaken. In the interview, Matthias reveals how the project came about and how much time and work he had to invest in it.
Did you set up the line? When?
Yes. I fell to the line while climbing hybris (8c +) on and so I set up the tour in the sector centrifuge 1 in late May 2013.
Is it an extension, connection or stand-alone line? In which sector is Finite Infinity?
Finite Infinity is located between the routes Bad Boys and No sika no crime and shares the last two hooks with these two tours. It is the most direct line in the wall and I would speak of a separate line despite the last two common hooks.
When did you start planning the route and how many days did you invest?
I started planning in autumn 2013. I don't know how many days I ultimately invested. It is difficult to estimate. The time window for good conditions was often very short. Sometimes it was only a few days in a season. Another time I could work on the route for plus minus eight days over six to seven weeks. In the end it must have been many days.
Did you train specifically for the route?
In the first three years I was often on longer climbing trips. The shape then left a lot to be desired. Two years ago, I realized that climbing, bouldering and working in the route were not enough for me. So I started with a more specific training. At first I concentrated on the finger power. After each failure at the end of the climbing season, I expanded my training until it finally worked out in the spring of this year.
How is it that you have just set up a 9a in Lehn?
It's actually more of a coincidence. As mentioned above, I noticed the route while climbing Hybris. I was pretty sure it had to work somehow. After setting it up and working on the first train for another five days, which is by far the hardest for me, I finally had a solution and knew that it would eventually work. It remains to be seen whether Finite Infinity will be confirmed as 9a by future climbers. But that's not so important to me either. For me it was the perfect route in terms of beauty, movement and personal challenge.
Do you already have a next project that is your turn?
I do not have another project yet. But the one or the other route that I would like to climb, I already have in mind.
About Matthias King
Matthias König lives in Zurich and studies mechanical engineering. In addition, he is often on the rocks or trained for his projects. In the last few years he was often drawn to it because of his project Lehn at Interlaken. A special ascent is and remains for Matthias the route Speed (8c +), who succeeded him seven years ago in the climbing area Voralpsee.
Video by Matthias König during the ascent of Speed am Voralpsee
Pictures Matthias King