BURSTYesterday, French climber Jules Marchaland repeated Hugh 5.14d (9a) in Les Eaux Claires, France. Incredibly, he sent the bouldery route on just his second go. Opened by Fred Rouhling way back in 1993, the route was France’s first of the grade. Rarely repeated, the route has seen ascents from Seb Bouin, Dai Koyamada, and Stevie Haston, among a few others. The difficulty of the line comes from two double-digit boulder problems exiting a series of bulging roofs.
“The main goal was to flash it, but the moves are low percentage and I [missed] a hold at the first boulder,” said Marchaland on Instagram after his send. “I knew this line would suit me very well, it’s short, with big moves. And [I’m] still really happy to have [sent] it efficiently.”
On March 28 this year, Marchaland sent Beyond 5.15a in Pic Saint-Loup on his second go. The Seb Bouin route was his fifth of the grade. He sent three 5.15a routes in 2023 including First Ley in Margalef, Supercrackinette in Saint Leger, and Punt’X in Gorges du Loup. Late last spring he completed Three Degrees of Separation at Céüse. A few days after sending Beyond, Marchaland repeated Guère de bruit 5.14d in Claret.
On April 22, he sent his first 5.15b, making the first ascent of Le bruit de l’acid 5.15b in Claret, France. The route is an endurance test. After an 5.13a intro, a poor rest follows before launching into two stacked boulder problems. The first clocks in at around V13, the second around V10, with no rest in between. “You basically can’t chalk for 25 moves,” said Marchaland about the climb.
Seb Bouin on Hugh 5.14d
Joshua Fourteau on Hugh 5.14d
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