Jessy Pilz has made the second female ascent of Papichulo (9a+), in Oliana, Spain. 

The ascent - her first in the ninth grade, having skipped 9a - makes her just the twelfth woman to have climbed a route at 9a+ or harder.

The route was first climbed by Chris Sharma in May 2008, with Margo Hayes making the first female ascent just over a decade later, in 2019. The route was Hayes' third at the grade, two years after she became the first woman to climb 9a+ with her ascent of La Rambla (9a+) in February 2017.

Pilz is better known for her competition climbing, having taken Bronze at the Paris Olympics, and finished on the podium on twenty-five occasions across IFSC World Cups and World Championships. After an absence of almost a year, she marked her return to real rock earlier this month with a rapid ascent of Paint it Black, 8c+, for which she offered a personal grade of 8c.

However, her ability to carry her competition form through to rock has never been in doubt. At a Team Austria training camp in Turkey last winter, Pilz ticked off Andreas Blues (8c+), Beastmaker 8c, Kaos 8c, Aaron 8c, and Panic Room 8c, as well as making a flash ascent of Imhotep (8a), and an onsight of Paluze, 8a. In 2020 she made an ascent of Cinque Uve 8c on her third attempt, in 2018 she climbed La Fabelita (8c), also on her third attempt, and in 2015 - at the age of just 19 - she made her first ascent at 8c+, Joe Blau (8c+), in the same area of Oliana as Papichulo.

Speaking on social media after climbing Papichulo, Pilz said: 

'Yesterday, I clipped the chains on this beautiful 45-meter route in Oliana. My first route in the 9th grade and the first one I truly invested time and effort into'.

'Working on this route pushed me out of my comfort zone - from wanting to give up on Day one because it felt too hard, to gradually understanding the process of projecting'.

'Thinking about the route on rest days made me nervous, constantly running through sequences and moves in my head. Waiting all day for that one possible attempt in good conditions before it got dark made me nervous too'.

'It's been a rollercoaster of emotions but absolutely worth it! Thanks Steff for the belay and patience!'