BURSTThe Daniel Woods mega-classic, Defying Gravity V15 (8C), was recently repeated by both Mejdi Schalck and Simon Lorenzi. The problem is one of the best blocs in the United States. Located in Colorado, the line was first climbed by Woods in 2013.
Defying Gravity a wildly dynamic problem that features one of the single hardest starting moves in the world: a coordinated jump sequence between two glassy rails that clocks in at V14. A few different betas have been discovered for sticking the rail, but each one is as difficult as the next. After progressing to a higher set of rails, a huge, shouldery deadpoint that is around V10 follows, with climbers cutting feet and coiling their body like a scorpion to hold the position.
A few days after Woods made the first ascent, Jimmy Webb made the second. Then, the problem went unrepeated for nearly 10 years until Noah Wheeler topped it in 2023. Shortly after the long-awaited third ascent from Wheeler, Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Nathaniel Coleman picked up the fourth ascent. There’s been a handful of other ascents since then. Hamish McArthur famously sent the problem in only 30 minutes. Incredibly, McArthur also ticked the sit-start variation, Coleman’s No One Mourns the Wicked V17, within 2 hours and 17 minutes of first trying Defying Gravity.
“First chapter of the USA trip finished,” said Schalck on Instagram. “Feeling grateful to climb on these amazing boulders and to meet so many nice people out there.”
This was Schalck’s third V15: in November 2024 he topped The Big Island in Fontainebleau, France, and in August 2025, he ticked La Force Tranquille in Magic Wood, Switzerland. In late October, Schalck flashed Casavino V14 (8B+) in Brione, Switzerland, his hardest flash to date. He’s sent many V14s, including Mystic Stylez and Practice of the Wild this year. Schalck also repeated the world’s first deep water solo graded 5.15a, Chris Sharma’s Es Pontas in Mallorca. But the 21-year-old French climber is perhaps best known for his comp climbing. He won one gold and two silvers in the 2025 Boulder World Cup.
“Perfect boulder, cool to share that moment with a good crew!” said Lorenzi on Instagram. “Felt good in the sit, [I] guess [I’ll] be back!”
Lorenzi has arguably one of the best outdoor bouldering resumes in the world. He’s climbed four V17 problems, the most of any climber other than Will Bosi. His first of the grade was Soudain Seul in February 2021. After spending more than 25 sessions projecting the bloc, he made the first ascent. The grade was disputed by the second ascensionist, Nico Pelorson, who suggested it was V16. But the V17 grade held after Camille Coudert claimed the third ascent and confirmed that he thought soft V17 was correct. Adam Ondra agreed with this assessment.
Lorenzi’s second V17 was Shawn Raboutou’s Alphane, which he topped in December 2022. A little over a year later, he completed Burden of Dreams V17. In March, he sent Woods’ Return of the Sleepwalker V17. He has sent many other hard boulder problems, including the legendary Off the Wagon Low V16 in Switzerland and Big Conviction V16 and La Révolutionnaire Assis V16 in Fontainebleau. A couple months ago in September, Lorenzi sent Permanent Midnight Low V16. He also flashed Compass North V14 in Val de Bagnes, Switzerland, his hardest flash to date. In addition to all of his outdoor bouldering sends, Lorenzi is an accomplished comp climber, winning gold at the Boulder World Cup in Brixen in 2022.
Daniel Woods Climbing Defying Gravity V15
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