November 2022. It finally happened. After seven years of failure and not making any progress, I was able to do the hardest single move in my life – topping out on of the best rocks in the world. Seven years for 135cm. How to describe this process of doubt and believe? What drives a person to keep coming back after failing hundreds of times – still believing in a moment where the magic can happen? It’s very difficult to find the right words for this obsession, but maybe it’s very simple after all:
I kept on trying because this LINE in the forest of Rakchham is one of the best Boulders in the world. The shape, the perfect rock, the setting & the holds are just so pure & unique.
The move itself is a very complex jump on bad footholds to a bad crimp and it’s all about timing and reaching the envisaged hold on the perfect spot. A low percentage move at its best. Back in 2012 I found this line and had the the feeling it will not make so much work. Back then 1-4-8 campusing was standard training, and since the crimp was just 135cm away, I thought I could just do it (other athletes had the same feeling). The years passed and it was hard to keep up motivation sometimes, because it always felt the same. Despite failing over all these years, this year I came back with low expectations, and it turned out that these „low exceptions“ have been the key to success. Already in summer I hurt my shoulder badly and I wasn’t sure if I could climb hard this saison anyway. After a few weeks of „rehab-bouldering“ I was happily surprised that this move didn’t cause any pain. A few weeks later I was back at the project together with Korak & Spandan Sanyal and moments later I just grabbed the hold I dreamed for so many years and topped out.
One of the best Boulders in the world and actually it feels more like a „lifetime“ present to me 🤩
