Lena Herrmann sends Shangri-La (8c+) in Frankenjura, Germany

Seven years after becoming the first German woman to climb 8c+ with her ascent of Battle Cat at Hängender Stein, Lena Herrmann has now doubled her takings with an ascent of Shangri-La. This fierce, ultra-classic crimpy testpiece was put up by Guido Köstermeyer way back in 1995 at the Schlaraffenland crag and turned out to be a sort of war of attrition for Hermann who first started trying the route a few years ago. Progress proved slow, also due to weather issues, injuries or simply bot being fit enough for the challenge but she persevered nevertheless on her "number one goal" and successfully clipped the anchors last week.

"Most of the time I've was on a plateau in the process. I'd get stronger over the winters, but this wasn't very noticeable on the route, and I really stressed myself out." explained the 29-year-old explained, adding "I then noticed a positive break in 2022, when the crux, which was extremely challenging for me, suddenly wasn't that hard anymore I started to get closer and closer to the chain. Somehow I haven't really taken it all in yet, but the moment I clipped the chain was so emotional."

Links: Petzl, SCARPA