The Bündner boulderer Giani Clement succeeds in the first ascent of a new line in Magic Wood: style before talent. Giani rates the long and high boulder with 8c / +.
It is the hardest boulder ascent for anyone to date Giani, which in the recent past has regularly drawn attention to itself with difficult inspections.
With the first ascent of style before talent, a huge dream comes true. A dream that has shaped my life in the past few weeks.
Giani Clement
Inspection of La Grosse Tarlouze as a trigger for an idea
The new line came into focus last autumn Giani Clementwhen he did the 8c boulder La Grande Tarlouze could climb on the same block. For Giani, La Grosse Tarlouze is a grandiose line - with a small blemish.
The only thing I didn't like about the line is the fact that you have to climb down after the sloper ledge and then get off the block.
Giani Clement
Giani removed this flaw with a new line management that meant a direct exit. The new version requires a tension-intensive shoulder pull from a perfect pincer grip on a round roof, before one reaches the final passage of the line by means of a dynamic pull.
I succeeded in this passage at the end of the Magic Wood season 2019. This made me motivated to try the line again in the following season.
Put the project on hold due to Corona
A little later than hoped, Giani tackled the line again. During the Corona lockdowns and the subsequent closure of the bouldering area, he let the dream rest. At the beginning of May 2020, however, he began cleaning the line and bouldering out the individual passages. Giani made it through last Thursday, August 6, 2020.
Giani Clement on the ascent of The Never Ending Story (8b +)
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Credits: Pictures Hannes Kutza