UKC

Hemetzberger climbs Il Piccolo orso etc.

Roland Hemetzberger has made the 3rd ascent of Stefan Fürst's 40m super technical Il Piccolo orso, 8c/+, at Sparchen, Austria. Stefan made the FA back in 1992, giving it 8b+, but the route repelled all contenders for many years and it was speculated it could in fact be closer to 9a. The long awaited 2nd ascent, by Adam Ondra, came in 2008. Adam figured 8c/+ was more accurate. Now Roland Hemetzberger, a 19-year-old local from just across the German border (Sparchen lies very close to the German/Austrian border) has made the 3rd ascent.
Meanwhile, another German speaking youngster, Jakob Schubert, also 19, had an amazing day in the Ötztal, flashing Schwarzer Schwan, 8c, and redpointing the short Brandy Tarte, 8c/+.
Source: 8a

It should be noted that some of Stefan Fürst's routes have yet to see 2nd ascents even though many years have passed since the FA, and that it seems the grades given are sometimes somewhat... stiff.

A few examples:
- Watzmann ruft, Geisterschmiedwand originally 8b, is now considered 8c (repeats by Ondra, Hemetzberger and Bendler).
- X-large, Massone:  given 8c, unrepeated, as far as I know, and possibly harder
- Qui, Geisterschmiedwand, given 8c+ (1996), unrepeated as far as I know, and possibly harder.


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