Iker Pou adds new 9a climb to Mallorca

There’s no stopping Iker Pou. After making the first ascent of the 9a+ Big Men on Mallorca in April 2015, the 39-year-old Basque sports climber has returned to the Spanish island from where he now checks in with the first ascent of Cleteropa Original. The steep 40m project at the Tramuntana sector had been bolted over a decade ago and with its difficult crux right at the very end may well be 9a. While it is now the third on the island of these difficulties after Big men 9a+ and Reikiavik energy 9a, according to Pou "the potential for crazy hard staff is enormous..."

Earlier this March, together with his brother Eneko Pou, Iker made the first free ascent of the multi-pitch route Garcia -Mora, first ascended by Alfonso García and Jaume Mora ground-up with a mix of free climbing and aid. Described as being “one most recommended routes in this style in the island”, the individual pitches sport fairly run out climbing and now go at circa 7b+, 7c, 8a and 6b.

Iker Pou is considered one of the most talented all-round climbers of his generation: after making the coveted third ascent of Action Directe in the Frankenjura in 2000, aged 23 at the time, he has continued to make important repeats and first ascents at the crags and also in the mountains and the Greater Ranges. Highlights include the first free ascent of Bravo Les Filles 8b/600m on Tsaranoro in Madagascar in 2004, Orbayu on Naranjo de Bulnes in 2009, La Classica Moderna on Mont Blanc together with Hervè Barmasse in 2011, Nit de Bruixes 9a+ in 2012 at Margalef and the onsight of an 8c at Mallorca precisely a year ago.


26/02/2010 - Iker Pou climbing interview
Iker Pou from Spain is one of the world's most talented rock climbers, with cutting-edge climbs spanning from 9a+ at the crag to 8a at 6000 meters. In this interview he shares his climbing thoughts after his repeat of Demencia Senil 9a+ at Margalef.

Iker Pou - Action Directe 9a