Editors
Editors

Max Bertone ticks »La mustache qui fâche« 9a+

climbing

Successful hook in Entre-les-Aygues: On August 1, 2025, 18-year-old Max Bertone successfully climbs "La moustache qui fâche" 9a+. This crosses a two-year project off his to-do list.

Max Bertone, born in Nice and raised on La Réunion, is the younger brother of the Olympian Oriane BertoneAt the age of 12 he already made Rocklands where he climbed the 8A+ routes Fragile Steps and Leopard Cave.
Max is currently ranked 8th in the IFSC World Cup Lead Ranking. He participated in five Lead World Cups this season and achieved 2nd place in Bali.

Max Bertone projects "La moustache qui fâche" (The Moustache with a Fist) in 2024 | Image: Jan Virt
Max Bertone projects "La moustache qui fâche" (The Moustache with a Fist) in 2024 | Image: Jan Virt

The Frenchman invested three sessions on "La moustache qui fâche" last year before tackling it again. In the fourth session this year, he was finally able to cross it off his to-do list. 

During this session I found a new beta in the crux which made the crucial difference and so I would say that it is either an easy 9a+ (5.15a) or a hard 9a (5.14d).

Max Bertone

The 9a+, which requires a lot of conditioning and strength, was first ascended by Enzo Oddo in 2011. Stefano Ghisolfi followed three years later. For Ghisolfi, "La moustache qui fâche" was his first 9a+.

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12-year-old Max Bertone is bouldering 8a +

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Credits: Cover image and featured images: Jan Virt

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