20-year-old Laura Rogora has made the first repeat of Stefano Ghisolfi's Erebor 9b/+ at Eremo di San Paolo, Arco, Italy. The line is Italy's hardest sport route and Rogora's ascent is the hardest redpoint by a female climber to date.

Ghisolfi bolted the line and climbed it in January 2021. Following his first ascent, he commented on Instagram:

'In my opinion I never climbed in Italy something as hard as this route, but I still think it doesn't reach the full 9b+ comparing it to Change or Perfecto Mundo. Therefore my grade suggestion is 9b/+ that makes it the hardest route in Italy and my proudest first ascent, and I'm looking forward someone will come and repeat it soon!'

Rogora has stormed through the grades on rock in the past two years while also training for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where she placed 15th. Her previous bests include a redpoint of Ali Hulk Sit Extension Total in Rodellar, Spain in 2020 - when she became only the second-ever woman to climb 9b - and multiple first ascents up to 9a, in addition to 8b+ onsights.

Last month, Rogora finished 2nd in the IFSC Lead World Championships in Moscow. 

On Rogora's Instagram post, Ghisolfi commented: 

'Just a heads up that Bibliographie [9b+] is not that much harder, if you haven't booked your 2022 holidays yet take it as a hint 🙂'

Referring to Rogora's ascent in an Instagram story, he added:

'I'm probably the only one in the world who can fully understand what this means.'

Could we see the first female ascent of a 9b+ in the near future? Watch this space...