Photo @ 14 years old Pepa Šindel resting in The end (8c+) in Medveja
Only 14 years old Pepa Šindel from Czech republic did the first repeat of The end (8c+) in Medveja. This mega route was bolted by Andrea Polo and first ascended on the start of this year by Domen Škofic. This pure power endurance challenge was first time repeated for Easter holidays by young Pepa Šindel.
Pepa Šindel already last year redpointed Happy birthday (8b) in the same crag. In Mišja peč he ticked as well Talk is cheap (8c) and Mrtvaški ples (8b). Next Checz's Adam Ondra? :)
And in the other Istrian crags?
In Mišja peč, this time girls were succesful. Pole Ida Kups onsighted Corto (8a) while Slovene Tina Berčič redpointed Oktoberfest (8a). In
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Konec MIRa (8c/c+) in Mišja peč by Jakob Bizjak
photo @ Mišja peč by Urša Florjančič
The weather in the last days has been great. Sun, some wind, some clouds make conditions for climbing just prime. Eastern is almost here and climbers are having fun all around Istria already.
As usual, the most of the hardest climbing news from Istria come from Mišja peč.
Over there, Jakob Bizjak climbed Konec MIRa (8c/c+) in the right part of Mišja peč called "hladilnik" or freezer as it gets just a little bit of sun in the late afternoon.
Konec MIRa (8c/c+) was first ascended by Jure Golob in March 2001 on the day the Russian space station called MIR was deorbited in the South Pacific Ocean. It was first graded as 8c/c+ and later called as a hard 8c....
Spring in Istria
After totally dry winter this year, with no rain for months, for climbers unfortunately some rain fell in the last days. Now some tufas might drip and there is a lake in the Osp cave. But, at least the nature and plants are grateful. Now while resting in between climbing in Istria, you can easily pick up wild grown asparagus everywhere around. Hint, they are the best with scrambled eggs. Here you have a recipe. :)
The latest climbing news come as usual from Mišja peč. Matjaž Zorko repeated Mr. Big hand (8b+) and Žiga Sedej did its shorter version Lazuret (8b).
Mr. Big hand was first ascended on the start of this millennium by Uroš Perko. The first tries and the vision of this monster traverse were first done by nobody else than famous Alexander Huber from...
Have a great weekend
The weather forecast for Istria for the weekend and the next days as well looks amazing. So hopefully, see you at the crag somewhere. Check the weather forecast here!
Last week we have noticed ascents in climbing areas all around Istria. In Croatia, in Medveja, more precisely in sector Mali Jože, Robert Buh onsighted Giber (8a) and flashed Tequila (8a), while Jaka Šprah onsighted Total extrem (8a) in the upper hardcore sector named Knezgrad.
Then in Slovenia, in Osp in sector Babna Žiga Sedej crushed Veper lady (8b), the hardest route of the sector. In Mišja peč, Nejc Sitar showed his powers once more and redpointed crimpy Gorenjski šnops (8b) in the central part of the wall. Matej...
Perfect winter in Istria
Photo @ Sunset in Istria
This year is one of the best winters for climbing in Istria as far as we remember. Almost no rain, so everything is dry all the time. Of course, climbers are everywhere around using prime conditions to climb.
Hardest route climbed in the last weeks was the powerful classic Missing link (8b+) in Mišja peč which was done by Andraž Gregorčič and Nejc Sitar. Also in Mišja peč, Jaka Šprah ticked another long 8b, this time the extension of JSFK which has an amazing dyno on the top of the 35 meters long route. Another long 8b over there was climbed by Jakob Šparovec who clipped the chains of crimpy and painful Gorenjski šnops (8b).
Lijak near Nova Gorica is this year really popular. Luka Zazvonil onsigted cruxy Hitri test...
Ascents from all over the Istria
Mina Markovič in Lijak @ photo by Urša Florjančič
Nice weather invited climbers to the sunny crags of Istria and many hard routes were climbed everywhere on this peninsula. Let's start from north towards south.
In Lijak, in winter crag above Nova Gorica, ex World Cup winner Mina Markovič redpointed the amazing James Bond (8b) on her second go. The same route was also climbed by Andraž Gregorčič, who needed three tries to reach the top of this Luka Biščak's masterpiece.
In Italy, in Napoleonica, more specific in sector Mano di Fatima, Guido de Sabbata clipped the chains of Sacro e profano (8b).
In the big cave of Osp, Martin Bombač climbed his hardest route ever by doing the enduro challenge Helikopter v pošasti (8c), a 55 meters...
FA of The End (8c+) in Medveja by Domen Škofic with an interview + other ascents
Photo @ Domen Škofic trying Godzilla (possibly the hardest indoor gym route in the world 9b?) in his own gym called Climbing Ranch
About a week ago Domen Škofic made a first ascent of Andea Polo's route in Medveja with the name The End and proposed grade of 8c+. We have made a short interview with Domen about the route, his current life and plans for the future. Here you can see the full video of his first ascent of The End (8c+). Enjoy!
Hi Domen! First we have to give you congrats for the fast ascent of The Core (8c+) and first ascent of The End (8c+) in Medveja. How are you?
Thanks, I am great. Again I have time to enjoy rock climbing, so just top.
Photo @ The view in Medveja
Domen Škofic returned from his winter holidays in Catalonia (Spain), where he sent a remarkable number of hard routes in Santy Linya and Siurana. He visited Istria in the last days, more specific the wonderful crag of Medveja, hardcore sector Knezgrad. There he succeeded in the classic route called The Core (8c+) in just a couple of goes. The route was bolted by Andrea Polo and first ascended by Klemen Bečan back in 2011. It was first graded as 9a but after downgraded to 8c+. Adam Ondra onsighted it and even proposed a grade of 8c/c+. It is characterized by powerful start on tufas and a hard endurance vertical wall with small crimps and poor footholds to the top of the wall.
Domen Škofic said he will be back to Medveja to...
Matjaž Zorko’s rampage in the big cave of Osp
After his first 9a a couple of weeks ago, Halupca 1979 in the big cave of Osp, Matjaž Zorko continues his rampage over there. This time he did the rare ascent of Working Leon (8c), which consists of a start in Working class hero (8b+), hard crux of the route and a finish in Leon (8b). He also made a retro onsight of 55 meters long Active discharge (8b+).
In sector Babna above the village of Osp, Janez Miklavčič redpointed Uroš Perko's Veper lady (8b). The route has an easy start on tufas, followed by the crux of the route with powerful moves on undercuts. After it gets a small rest and some pumpy moves on good holds to another crimpy boulder and a beautiful and easy end of the route.
In
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Great start of the year in Istria
Photo @ Kompanj
Looks like the new year of 2022 started just great for all the climbers in Istria. First snow in the inlands and then many sunny days attracted climbers from all over to get our climbing areas even crowded somewhere.
It is hard to start what was climbed in the last days as there are so many hard sends from everywhere.
The hardest route was climbed by Spaniard Alex Ventajas who in succeeded in Martin Krpan (9a) in Mišja peč. It is the first 9a on Slovene ground and has seen already more then 20 ascents in 20 years. It was first ascended by Jure Golob in 2001 and is characterized as power endurance route with cca 8b start for 20+ moves direct into hard boulder on undercuts followed by another 20+ powerful moves to the top...