Akito Matsushima Grabs A Quick Memento

Kevin Avery

24th September, 2008

This has been read 27,395 times

The Japanese climber Akito Matsushima who is currently placed 9th in the IFSC bouldering world ranking, has made the fourth repeat of Bernd Zangerl's mega-problem, Memento Font 8c/+, high in the Austrian mountains. What is even more astounding is that it took him only 2 hours (video of this ascent).

The problem was first discovered in 2003 and is apparently "pure power" consisting of only seven moves up a steeply overhanging face. Zangerl made the first ascent in August 2005 and tentatively gave it Font 8c+/V16, saying that it was far harder than anything else he'd ever tried or climbed. Since then it has been repeated by Kilian Fischhuber, Bernard Schwaiger and Kornelius Obleitner with the latter pair both stating that they felt Font 8c was closer to the mark.

Whether Matsushima will agree with these downgrades remains to be seen, but what is clear from the speed of his ascent is that the problem didn't provide him with too much trouble.

Sources: 8a.nu, naturized.com

Watch a video of Bernard Zangerl Climbing Memento

This post has been read 27,395 times

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seagull

24 Sep, 2008

Kilian Fischhuber has also done it, not sure what he made of the grade......... I'd be fascinated to see what the likes of Woods, Robinson, Tyler etc made of this problem as it looks made for their type of crimp strength and dynamism.

JPGR

24 Sep, 2008

Is that based on you climbing it? So far none of the four repeats have downgraded it by more than one grade.

john howard 1

24 Sep, 2008

Awesome effort to akito on the bloc! But as an aside, zachary your argument appears to be based on nothing but heresay and gossip, you haven't climbed the problem, and you are ignoring the opinions of the people who have because they have no "international track records"?So climbing a possible 8c bloc isn't enough for you?Are the opinions of more well known climbers the only ones of value to you?Whatever happened to people being innocent until proven guilty?

seagull

25 Sep, 2008

Spot on. And let's be honest 8A+ to 8C (let alone 8C+) is ridiculous. Seriously, it's impossible for most people to comprehend just how hard 8C is. To put it in perspective there are many climbers in this country operating at 8A+ only 30 odd who have climbed 8B and 10 or so 8B+ or harder (possibly only Tyler who has done 8C). As I said. Get the strong boys on this and I would be amazed if they didn't destroy it. By the way has anyone seen what Paul Robinson has just done to Switzerland........... http://www.p-d-robinson.blogspot.com/ Astonishing.

Akito Matsushima Grabs A Quick Memento

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