Marco Zanone repeats La Rambla (9a+) at Siurana

Marco Zanone seems to be on some sort of mission to reclimb some of sport climbing's historic testpieces. After Le Cadre Nouvelle at Céüse in 2019 and Action Directe in the Frankenjura in 2022, the Italian climber has now repeated another vertical milestone, La Rambla at Siurana in Spain.

La Rambla is one of the world's benchmark 9a+; freed by Germany's Alexander Huber up to a pocket at 3/4 height in 1994, it was extended to the top of the crag by local Ramón Julián Puigblanque precisely 20 years ago, in 2003. It's regarded as one of the most coveted sport climbs of all, one which - sooner or later - all the best try their luck.

After first attempts in February 2022, Zanone returned to Siurana at the end of last year with the stated aim of finishing off business. He revved up the engines so to speak by repeating the 8c+ Chikane and the 8c+/9a Broadway, then last Friday he made the send.

Zanone explained: "Climbing a route that holds so much history means the world to me, not only because of its grade, but mostly because it’s proof I’m able to express my self on different climbing styles. It was literally the biggest fight of my life, both mentally and physically."

The redpoint came about after circa 30 attempts and a +25 minute battle on the route which for the 28-year-old represents "For sure a breakthrough in my climbing career and the biggest emotion I’ve ever experienced."

TOPO: Siurana, Spain

La Rambla
First ascent: Alexander Huber, 1994
Extension: Ramón Julián Puigblanque 2003
2006 - Edu Marín Garcia, Spain
2006 - Chris Sharma, USA
2007 - Andreas Bindhammer, Germany
2007 - Patxi Usobiaga, Spain
2008 - Adam Ondra, Czech Republic, aged 15
2011 - Enzo Oddo, France
2013 - Sachi Amma, Japan
2013 - Felix Neumärker, Germany
2013 - Sangwon Son, South Korea
2013 - Alexander Megos, Germany, second attempt
2014 - Daniel Jung, Germany
2015 - Jonathan Siegrist, USA
2017 - Matty Hong, USA
2017 - Margo Hayes, USA, first female 9a+
2017 - Stefano Ghisolfi, Italy
2017 - Jacopo Larcher, Italy
2017 - Klemen Bečan, Slovenia
2017 - Sébastian Bouin, France
2018 - Tomás Ravanal, Chile
2018 - Jon Cardwell, USA
2019 - Piotr Schab, Poland
2019 - Dave Graham, USA
2019 - Gonzalo Larrocha, Spain
2019 - Cédric Lachat, Switzerland
2021 - Jorge Díaz-Rullo, ESP
2021 - Jonatan Flor, ESP
2022 - Chaehyun Seo, ROK
2023 - Michaela Kiersch, USA
2023 - Sébastien Berthe, BEL
2023 - Marco Zanone, Italy