The most successful female lead competition climber in history has caused a sensation in the rock-climbing scene: The Tyrolean Angy Eiter had just come back, strengthened by a long bouldering trip in the South African Rocklands, and is now the first woman to climb two routes graded UIAA 11. For many years the 28-year-old has been the standard of all things in competition climbing and now she is causing a sensation on an international level also on rock. The routes in question “Hades” (9a) in Nassereith, Tyrol, and “Zauberfee” (8a+) have only been climbed by a few male climbing legends before, and now by the 4-time world champion.
Having finished her competition career and healing her elbow injuries, the petite climbing artist focused on the projects she had had in mind during her years on the World Cup circuit.
It was last spring when Angy Eiter was doing her first tries on the route ‘”Hades” in Nassereith, West of Innsbruck. At the same time she was working on the route “Zauberfee” in Arco, Italy, where she became rock master six times. Both routes are among the most difficult in her region and have been completed by only a hand full of well-known male climbers.
During her first try, the short girl at only 1.54 metres had to give-in due to the long reaches and the complex moves, several seeming impossible. However; she knew that it was the right kind of challenge. “I love steep walls, but also technically challenging, bouldery and sustained climbing on small hand and footholds. That’s why I knew these routes were just perfect projects“, says the four times world champion thinking about the early attempts. Both routes are sustained with very hard moves, amplified by the physical characteristics of a woman.
During her summer months in South Africa, Angy got stronger, stronger and finally strong enough to tackle her ambitious double project again. She was there for five weeks of training in the boulder mekka Rocklands where, the lead specialist – out of her element, sent boulders at Font 8b (see info box for listings), working specifically on hard moves similar to those found in her projects, focused on strength and speed.
The African interlude, meant to augment her psychological and physical conditioning, paid off. After her trip she progressed quickly on the route “Zauberfee”. After the first time making it through the crux section she would be thwarted by a two-finger pocket that would end her so far successful climb; she had almost sent the route when she fell mere metres from the top. She drew on her psyche, obtained in her numerous competitions, to calm the nerves and only a few days later she sent the project she had longed for. “To have sent the Zauberfee means a lot to me. The joy I felt at the top you can compare with receiving a world champion title,” says the girl from Imst.
When Angy Eiter tried the route Hades only three days later, she was still riding high from Zauberfee. The 25-time world-cup winner did every single one of the challenging 40 moves, including the two cruxes, one after another and went through the most technical parts without a fall. Hades was conquered and Angy reached the sought after grade of 9a. “In that moment I was completely overwhelmed. I mastered my most difficult project so far. My shouts of joy must have been heard for miles!” says Angy; the legendary competitor who now seems to have arrived on rocks for good.
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