1 / 3

Daniel Woods, Alexander Megos, Jakob Schubert and Dave Graham rock Flatanger

Thor’s Hammer 9a+ at Flatanger - Hanshellern in Norway has been repeated by Daniel Woods, Alexander Megos and Jakob Schubert. Dave Graham has made the first repeat of The Illusionist 9a.

Planetmountain

September 2015

Traduci in

1 / 3

Daniel Woods climbing Thor's Hammer 9a+, Flatanger, Norway

Courtney Woods

In a recent interview Adam Ondra stated that a few years ago his search for the hardest routes in the world stopped suddenly in Norway. The Czech climber had obviously just visited Hanshellern, that immense granite cave more commonly referred to as Flatanger, discovered some years previously and then thrust into the international limelight thanks to Magnus Midtbö who first dared bolt some routes through the huge roof.

Over the years the crag has evolved into one of the most coveted testing grounds for the best of the best. Standing proud is the route Change, the world’s first 9b+ freed in October 2012 by Ondra, but the density of hard routes is equally impressive and one of them, Thor's Hammer, has recently been repeated three times, demonstrating the quality of the line and proving just how much this crag has captured the imagination of the world's strongest.

The first repeat was carried out in late August by Germany’s Alexander Megos, followed a few days later by Austria’s Jakob Schubert who visited the crag after taking part in the Lead World Cup in Stavanger. Yesterday’s news is that Daniel Woods has repeated the line, after having inexplicably fallen off the last easy moves a few days earlier. Woods’ redpoint is particular, seeing that the American is better known for his cutting-edge bouldering up to 8C than epic 55m journeys tied to a rope... Woods traveled to Norway together with Dave Graham who, after specialising in bouldering for years, is now firmly back in routes game as well with his second ascent of The Illusionist, 9a.

Graham’s first encounter with the Hanshellern Cave was nothing short of amazing, as he explains with his usual verve on Facebook: " I haven't felt this type of syke I'm experiencing since the first time I visited Ceuse in 2001. Its crazy when you can notice the start of a new era in your own climbing; inspiration like this is only congruent with jaw dropping natural lines, and the best stone in the world. This is just the beginning; I feel giddy, infatuated, consumed, and unable to stop my mind from racing through beta and sequences of rigs I've already attempted or ones I dream of getting on next."

In the future Graham & Co. can test their skill on a number of routes put up by Ondra, while the Czech climber still has plenty of projects to tackle. One thing is certain: Flatanger will remain on the international agenda for a long time yet.

Flatanger top climbs
9b+ Change - first ascent: Adam Ondra
9b Move - first ascent: Adam Ondra
9b Iron Curtain - first ascent: Adam Ondra
9a+ Thor's Hammer - first ascent: Adam Ondra
9a+ Kangaroo's Limb - first ascent: Adam Ondra
9a The Illusionist - first ascent: Adam Ondra
9a Witchhammer - first ascent: Adam Ondra
9a Brunhilde - first ascent: Adam Ondra
9a Little Badder - first ascent: Sébastian Bouin