Seb Bouin climbs a potential 9c
The Black Diamond athlete has cleared DNA, suggesting it as a 9c
French climber Seb Bouin recently closed his biggest project: the conquest of DNA, the route of the Ramirole sector of the French Verdon Gorges, suggesting it as a 9c. Since the summer of 2019, the Black Diamond athlete bolted the route to spend more than 150 days on it, trying it more than 250 times.
Looking for a new challenge, Seb found the solution just a stone’s throw from his home, a crag with good conditions all year round. Initially, the athlete noticed the central line that crosses the cave trying to understand how to best approach it and studying it day after day, attempt after attempt. On April 29, fully satisfied, Seb was able to certify the conquest of the route.
About the grade, the athlete comments: “Certainly, proposing a 9c is a risk. The risk of seeing the route unwelcome. Since there is currently only one other route in the world proposed with a similar grade, it is difficult to be 100% sure. I have never tried a route with a difficulty similar to DNA. 9c is my “suggestion” for DNA, and now it needs other climbers to agree, to confirm or modify the grade“. Later, he added, “Our sport is beautiful, we don’t need judges, we are the judges ourselves. And this is beautiful, but at the same time complicated in situations like this, very borderline. That’s why I’d like to invite the best climbers in the world to come and try DNA.”
