Hazel Findlay climbs her first 9a, Esclatamasters at Perles in Spain

Following Emma Twyford’s lead, Hazel Findlay has now become the second British female climber to redpoint 9a with her ascent of Esclatamasters at Perles in Spain two days ago.

The eminent 32-year-old is one of the sports most impressive all-rounders, excelling not only in sport climbing but also in trad climbing (in summer 2011 she became the first British woman climber to climb E9, while in 2019 she repeated Magic Line in Yosemite) and big walls such as El Capitan in Yosemite which she has climbed free via four different routes (Golden Gate in 2011, Pre-Muir in 2012, Freerider in 2013, Salathé Wall in 2017).

After climbing Fish Eye in 2014 and Mind Control in 2017 at Oliana, Findlay had been looking for a project that take her sport climbing to the next level, and Esclatamasters at Perles in Spain ticked all the right boxes.

This stamina test put up by Ramón Julián Puigblanque been described by James Pearson as "perhaps the most visually beautiful route I have ever seen!" and Findlay started working the line last November. A second trip was needed now for the redpoint.

Link: hazelfindlayclimbing.com, FB Hazel Findlay, IG Hazel Findlay, La Sportiva