On November 1st, just thirteen days after making the fourth ascent of Jumbo Love (9b), French climber Sebastien Bouin made the first ascent of the long-standing direct-start project, naming it 'Suprême Jumbo Love'.

The direct variation, which Seb had in mind throughout his time projecting Jumbo Love, adds roughly 20 metres of 9a climbing, before joining up with the original Jumbo Love line, first freed by Chris Sharma back in 2008.

Seb has suggested a grade of 9b+, making the route the most difficult climb in the Americas.

Seb had the following to say:

'This route and this place have been in my mind since I started I climbing. Finishing this trip by sending the direct start couldn't be more perfect'.

'The effort is really long, adding 20 meters of hard climbing before the crux of Jumbo Love. Followed by the second part of Jumbo Love which is really physical and pumpy. The icing on the cake is the last slab of 20m. A tricky slab where you have to know what you do. The last slab is not that hard, but if you are done, and you don't know it quite well... you can easily fall there too'.

Suprême Jumbo Love comes in at 70 metres in total, slightly shorter than the 76 metre Jumbo Love, which was originally bolted by Randy Leavitt in the 1990s. Randy joined Seb this week to support him as he went for the direct start. 

Unsurprisingly, Seb said that 'the hardest part of this route is to combine everything'.

'The first 9a is quite tricky, and it's easy to fall, even if you have the power. Then you have this Jumbo Love crux, where it's definitely possible to fall even if you have the power (missing the one finger pocket). Then you need this fresh energy to link all the pumpy part to reach the lip of the overhang'.

'The first time I made it through the direct start, it was my third try of the day. I was definitely too spent to have any chance on the main Jumbo Love section. I knew I had to do the direct and the Jumbo Love crux on the first try if I wanted to have a chance on the pumpy Jumbo Love section'.

'Sometimes everything just comes together, shape, conditions, vibes, friends, cameraman, luck... I know it doesn't happen that often, and I am very grateful to live such big moments'.

Seb has promised to share more about his process and experience of the route, as well as his reflections on the grade, in the coming days.

With Seb having sent Jumbo Love 9b after ten climbing days, and Suprême Jumbo Love 9b+ just thirteen days later, the three years and ~250 attempts he put into DNA 9c becomes even more remarkable. You can read more about his ascent of DNA below: