Pete Whittaker relishes Recovery Drink at Jøssingfjord in Norway

Britain’s Pete Whittaker has got to grips with his long-term nemesis, the utterly difficult Recovery Drink on the Profile Wall at Jøssingfjord in Norway. The overhanging crack climb was freed in 2013 by Nicolas Favresse after five weeks of effort and is hailed as being one of the physically most intense trad climbs in the world.

The route foiled attempts of some of the best crack climbers in the world and in 2018 German climber Daniel Jung finally made the first repeat, motivated by the efforts of Whittaker and his habitual climbing partner Tom Randall who were trying the route at the same time.

Whittaker had made three trips to Norway last year, and others as early as 2015, specifically to repeat the route, but was always pushed back by the technical difficulties coupled with poor conditions. His free ascent came about after having spotted a different sequence through the crux. The route is reputed to offer 8c+ climbing, on wires and Friends, which Whittaker placed on his lead.

Proving that he is on great form, a few days later he flashed Ronny Medelsvensson, the 8b trad route freed on the same wall in 2014 by Erik Massih.