Shawn Raboutou has made a rare ascent of United, 8C+, on Mount Mizugaki, Japan.

The boulder, established by Ryuichi Murai in 2019, had gone almost five years unrepeated prior to Raboutou's ascent. 

United is the sit-start to Decided, an 8B+ boulder first climbed by Toru Nakajima. The stand-start has seen ascents from some of the world's strongest climbers, including Katie Lamb, who made the first female ascent late last year, and Tomoa Narasaki, who flashed the boulder in 2019.

The sit-start, which was Murai's first boulder at 8C+, adds four moves to the Nakajima's 8B+ stand-start. Starting on a downwards facing rail, the climber bumps their left hand up, and then moves the right into a shallow two finger pocket.

The left hand is then bumped up the rail, leading to a dynamic move with the right hand to what appears to be a decent edge, at which point the climber has reached the starting position of Decided.

Thereafter, the boulder moves leftwards through a series of tiny crimps, wide at first, and narrow soon after, before a spanned move to the boulder's lip.

Finally, a high heel-hook leads to an easy mantel and a green top out. 

United is Shawn's second 8C+ of 2024, after climbing Devilution (V16) earlier in the year. To date, he has climbed eight boulders at 8C+, as well as two at 9A, both of which were first ascents, in Alphane (f9A) and Megatron (V17).

Whilst Alphane has since been repeated four times, Megatron is yet to receive a repeat.

You can watch Shawn's ascent of United below: