The Nose, new women's record by Smith-Gobat and Astorga

The women's speed record on The Nose continues to fall, and this time it's taken a serious tumble! After the 10 hours and 19 minutes set last June by the Americans Jes Meiris and Quinn Brett, yesterday New Zealand's Mayan Smith-Gobat and America's Chantel Astorga climbed the famous route up El Capitan in 7 hours and 26 minutes, chopping almost 3 hours off the previous record.

According to Tom Evans of the highly popular El Cap Reports, after a "warm-up" the other day (during which the two climbed the route in a record 10 hours 10 minutes) Smith-Gobat and Astorga set off at 3:30am. Evans stated "Mayan lead the last pitch, in a display of skill and nerve unmatched by ANY of the many climbers, male or female, I have seen do speed ascents of the route. "

With this ascent Astorga has reclaimed the title she gained during her autumn 2011 run, while for Smith-Gobat this promises to be another extraordinary season in Yosemite which follows last year's stay during which she became the second woman ever to climb the difficult The Salathé Wall.


The Nose - Women
09/2012 - 07:26 Mayan Smith-Gobat and Chantel Astorga
06/2012 - 10:19 Jes Meiris and Quinn Brett
09/2011 - 10:40 Libby Sauter and Chantel Astorga
2004 - 12:15 Heidi Wirtz and Vera Schulte-Pelkum

Climbing in Yosemite - 5 Super Classics

ROUTE TOPO: The Nose, El Capitan, Yosemite