Martina Demmel 8b+ onsight and 8c+ redpoint in a day at Oliana
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Toni Mas Buchaca
Last Wednesday the stars aligned for Martina Demmel from Germany who onsighted her first 8b+ and then, just a few hours later, ended the day by redpointing an 8c+ sealing what can only be regarded as one of the most impressive days of female sport climbing, of all times.
The 19-year-old made headline news last year for the nigh unbelievable number of difficult ascents - 202 routes 8a or harder in 2020 alone, of which 11 were 8c - coupled with the fact that she only started climbing in 2017. In 2021 she has kept the momentum going with some hard and fast ascents, in particular in Oliana where she repeated the classic 8c Fish Eye on her second attempt. Realising she was on top for, on Wednesday she turned her attention to Humildes pa casa and, much to her own surprise, managed to battle her way up this 40m stamina fest. An hour later, still pumped from Humildes, she then achieved the unthinkable by sending Joe Blau, her second 8c+ after Montaña Magica in Chulilla in Janaury this year.
8c+ has been climbed by only a handful of women and 8b+ onsight has been achieved by even fewer. Josune Bereziartu got the ball rolling in 2006 with her onsight of Hidrofobia at Montsant in Spain, and she has been followed by Charlotte Durif in 2010 on Les rois du pétrole at Pic Saint Loup, Maja Vidmar in 2010 on Humildes pa casa (just like Demmel), Sasha DiGiulian in 2011 on Omaha Beach at Red River Gorge, Kajsa Rosén in 2016 on T-1 Full equipe at Oliana, Anak Verhoeven in 2019 on Gorilas en la Niebla at Oliana and Laura Rogora in 2020 on L-mens at Montsant.
After her 8b+ onsight Demmel told planetmountain "I’d onsighted five 8b before but 8b+ felt like something way too difficult, especially after having spent multiple days redpointing something, you don’t even dare to think about something of this magnitude. Having said that, I always attempt to onsight every route I try, because with an onsight you never know how things might turn out if you happen to get a bit lucky! Various people recommend I keep Humildes pa casa for a good go, and this also added a bit of pressure, I didn’t want to waste this chance… so when I clipped the chains I was even more relieved and happy!"
As mentioned previously, Demmel has only been climbing seriously since 2017, which indicates that she is no way near her physical limits. For the record, it’s worth remembering that no woman has yet onsighted 8c.
