The pizza maker conveyed the message to the climbing community. Alexander Megos had climbed the second so-called 9c in the world with the “Bibliography” route, a route with the highest level of difficulty. The 27-year-old Franconian gave his supporters at the campsite twelve pizzas to celebrate the day. The cook then spread the news via Facebook with photos showing a very happy Megos with a very high stack of pizzas. Twelve pieces that stand for three years of work and one of the most difficult routes in the world.
Originally, Megos would have wanted to be in Tokyo this summer, where he wanted to climb for a medal at the Olympic Games. The Erlanger had qualified from the German team alongside Jan Hojer for the debut of sport climbing at the Olympics. Now he has caused a stir elsewhere; The fact that he succeeded in the first ascent of the 9c during this time will comfort him with the postponed games.
The 35 meter long route “Bibliography” is located in the climbing area Céüse La Falais in the French Alps, near Gap. The American Ethan Pringle drilled it in 2009, and no one had done it since. Megos rate the route on the French climbing scale as 9c, he wrote in a message on Instagram. For him it was a personal milestone in his climbing career. Megos has worked on the route for a total of around 60 days over the past three years. A comparison with one of his previous projects shows how difficult it is. It only took Megos 16 days for Perfecto Mundo (9b +) in Margalef, Spain.
Almost every country has its own scale to determine the difficulty of a climbing route. The scale used in Germany is that of the International Union of Mountaineering Associations (UIAA). This is given in Roman numerals (for example V +). The French scale (in Arabic numerals and letters, for example: 9a) is also used in sport climbing routes, with the UIAA scale being used in alpine climbing. A table helps to compare the individual levels of difficulty. Characteristics for estimating a route are the complexity of the movements, the quality of the handles and kicks and the slope of the wall. The route “Bibliography” (9c) by Alexander Megos corresponds to a XII on the UIAA scale – i.e. the highest level of difficulty achieved so far.
So now Megos has made climbing history. Only the Czech Adam Ondra has so far managed to climb a route of this level of difficulty. With his route “Silence” in Flatanger, Norway, the 27-year-old had moved the climbing scale upwards. Ondra had already indicated at the time that currently only Megos would be considered to catch up with him. Ondra now congratulated his colleague on Instagram: “Congratulations and above all – I’m glad you suggested a 9c!” That rekindles the ambition in the scene. Only a repetition of the route by other climbers with new assessments can confirm the degree of difficulty.
In an interview with the magazine Rock and Ice Megos described the tour as very exhausting. The small strips and holes, which require a lot of finger strength, are particularly challenging. The most difficult section, the key point, is in the middle of the route and consists of four trains. Climbing a route of this level of difficulty requires a lot of training and concentration. The climber has to memorize the route very precisely, rehearse the movements and work out each difficulty of the route individually. Only when you have mastered all the individual parts can the whole work be put together like a puzzle.
Last year, Megos failed to make it to France due to many competitions and injury breaks. It shouldn’t work again until 2020. The last time he went to Céüse La Falais was in July. However, the conditions were not ideal every day. Some days it was just too hot to climb. Only a day before the planned trip home did he manage what had already been believed lost. The route is so physically demanding that he only had one attempt a day. On the last day he was angry because what was supposed to be his last attempt failed. He tried it a second time – what followed were twelve pizzas.
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