Solveig Korherr currently seems to be succeeding in everything she sets out to do. After Les petits chefs du néant (8c) and La ligne Claire (8c+) in St. Léger, two more than successful weeks in Oliana, crowned by the onsight ascent of Humildes pa Casa (8b+), she succeeds in Perles Esclatamasters (9a ).
“It feels so surreal at the moment,” says Solveig Korherr after the successful ascent of Ramon Julian Puigblanque’s test piece Esclatamasters. “I must probably be in the best shape of my life.”
I guess I've gotten used to the rock very well over the last few weeks and my motivation seems endless at the moment
Solveig Korherr
Esclatamasters: “Closer to 8c+ than 9a”
The 25-year-old only needed eight attempts spread over five days to score the famous 9a line. In terms of grade, compared to other routes she's done so far and the difficulty of the movements, it felt more like 8c+ than 9a. “But that’s just a personal assessment,” says Solveig Korherr.
Esclatamasters is one of the best lines I have ever climbed in limestone.
Solveig Korherr
The combination of two completely different climbing styles in one and the same route as well as the incredible quality of the rock make this line very unique. “Going from powerful pulls on tufas to tiny ledges and demanding endurance climbing is awesome.”
Impressive Oliana ticklist
Before Perles, Solveig Korherr spent two weeks in Oliana. The climbing area, which was hit by a major fire in June 2022, was more than suitable for her.
The atmosphere on the rock was fantastic, everyone was cheering each other on and celebrating each other's achievements.
Solveig Korherr
These good vibes seem to have driven the strong climber to achieve top performance. In addition to various difficult lines, she managed the onsight ascent of Humildes pa Casa (8b+). “It has always been a goal of mine to be able to climb an 8b+ onsight.”
Solveig Korherr’s Oliana ticklist
- Mon Dieu (8a +), onsight
- La Marroncita (8b), 2nd go
- T1 Full Equiped (8b+), 2nd Go
- Fish Eye (8c), 5th Go
- De Picos Pardos (8b), 4th Go
- Humildes pa Casa (8b+), onsight
- Mind Control (8c), 2nd Go
- Humildes pa' Arriba (8a+), 1st try
A tailor-made start
If we turn back the wheel of time a little more, we will find ourselves St. Leger again, where Solveig Korherr started her climbing trip a little over a month ago. You can get here within a short time Les petits chefs du néant (8c) as well La ligne Claire (8c +).
After scoring Les petits chefs du néant (8c), Solveig Korherr spontaneously decided to enter La ligne Claire (8c+). She had tried the line before on a previous trip, but couldn't handle certain microbars.
This time the conditions were a lot more favorable and so she got all the trains together pretty quickly. After a day of rest, the first attempted climb followed, which also resulted in success.
Without having any great expectations for my first redpoint attempt, I surprisingly made it to the anchor without falling. These climbs are most rewarding when I can exceed my own expectations!
Solveig Korherr
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Credits: Cover picture Emile Pino | Pinopictures.com