Edu Marin makes first free ascent of Valhalla on Getu Grand Arch in China

Edu Marin has successfully completed what has all the hallmarks of being the steepest and hardest multi-pitch sports climb in the world. As first reported a year ago, the Spaniard forged a line through the quintessential "Great Arch of China" starting up one side of the arch, negotiating the entire horizontal roof and then exiting up the other side of the tunnel. The 450m line sports 14 pitches with the crux fifth pitch weighing in at 9a+ and a further two (pitches 8 and 12) graded 8c+.

Marin established the line with his father and his brother, climbing ground-up and jumaring endlessly to his highpoints before continuing on what he himself described as "madness" and "my biggest obsession."

After freeing all the pitches earlier this year, Marin set out to redpoint the entire route in a single day. He got painfully close on his second attempt on 3 March, but a hold broke on the 8c+ 12th pitch. Having climbed non-stop for 10 hours, he was simply too spent to redpoint the pitch and the final two 8a+. "It was a serious setback falling like this, but setbacks just made us stronger" is what Marin stated, knowing full-well though that April was fast approaching and, with it, the usual rain showers which would have drenched the route.

Yesterday proved to be the breakthrough day and after seting off at 4:00am and putting up "the fight of my life", he completed the route all free in 9 hours. 2 years of efforts, setbacks and doubts all distilled into one perfect moment. "We climbed the largest roof in the world!" stated Marin triumphantly "At last, after many, many months of struggling, effort and thousands of adversities, we’ve done it. We’ve fulfilled a dream that started two years ago. 4am with an special feeling: sunshine, wind, no expectations nor pressure, just training. But today was the day. I knew I couldn’t fail!"

Links: FB Ed Marin, Instagram Edu Marin, Petzl

Edu Marin on pitch 5 of Valhalla, Odyn’s Crack 9a+

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¡HOY HEMOS ALCANZADO EL VALHALLA, el techo mas grande del mundo! ⠀ Por fin, después de meses y meses de lucha, de esfuerzo y de mil adversidades, lo hemos logrado. Hemos cumplido un sueño que empezó hace 2 años. ⠀ Las 4 de la mañana: sol, viento y la piedra seca, sin pretensiones ni presión, iba a entrenar. ⠀ Pero hoy era el día, ¡Sabía que hoy no iba a fallar! Valhalla liberado en 9 horas! ⠀ Conquistar el Valhalla no va a ser un destino final! Exhausto, agotado, pero realmente feliz: frustraciones, llantos, alegrías, fracasos, viajes, presiones, dificultades… Pero lo HEMOS logrado. ⠀ Gracias padre por tanto, por estar aquí durante 6 meses. Siempre positivo, siempre aquí, siempre conmigo. ⠀ Gracias hermanito por creer en mí, sin tí nada de esto seria posible! ⠀ Gracias a toda la comunidad y en especial a los que habéis venido hoy a darme apoyo! ⠀ Qué Rico Mambo, gracias por creer en esta locura! ⠀ Ahora sí, puedo decir... Volvemos a casa! ⠀ Filmado y editado por kareldownsbrough.com Concepto: @wearequericomambo ⠀ ⠀ —————— ⠀ TODAY, WE HAVE CLIMBED VALHALLA! ⠀ We climbed the largest roof in the world! ⠀ At last, after many, many months of struggling, effort and thousands of adversities, we’ve done it. We’ve fulfilled a dream that started two years ago. ⠀ 4am with an special feeling: sunshine, wind, no expectations nor pressure, just training. ⠀ But today was the day. I knew I couldn’t fail! So I’ve climbed the whole line in just 9 hours. ⠀ Reaching Valhalla it won’t be an end! Exhausted right now, but happy: frustrations, cryings, joy, fails, travels, pressure, difficulties… But WE did it today! ⠀ Thank you dad for being here during six months. Always positive, always here, always with me. ⠀ Thank you brother for believing on me, this couldn’t have been possible without you! ⠀ Qué Rico Mambo, Thank you to believe in this madness! ⠀ Now I could say… We’re coming back home! ⠀ Filmed & edited by kareldownsbrough.com Concept: @wearequericomambo ⠀ ⠀ Thanks to: ⠀ @petzl_official @borealoutdoor @climbatcenters @entreprisesclimbing @goproes @kuikmeal @ttrinternational

A post shared by Edu Marín (@edumarin1) on Mar 20, 2019 at 9:10am PDT