British expat Tom Bolger, now residing in the village of Santa Linya, has started the year in the best possible way, finally succeeding on Edu Marin's Ciudad de Dios at his home crag, Santa Linya.

The route starts with a short bouldery 8c+ that leads to a rest. The second part also weighs in around 8c+, but is more about stamina. So, bouldery 8c+ + resistance 8c+ = 9a/+.

Here's what Tom wrote on his blog shortly before christmas: "I have been trying a route called Ciudad del dios [sic] 9a/+, having fallen near the top and struggling with flappers and heel slips and numb hands and any other excuse I could think of for falling rather than I just fell..."

This is Tom's 4th 9a or harder and his hardest to date.