BURSTOn April 5, Nicolai Užnik and his brother Timo made a shared first ascent of Airbag V14 (8B+) in the Bügeleisen sector of Maltatal, Austria. “A tall, aesthetic boulder with big moves – and an unforgettable day sharing the experience!” said Nicolai about Airbag on Instagram. You can watch their joint-FAs in a video embedded below.
The pair worked the moves and unlocked the climb together, both sending the problem on the same day. Rather than focusing on who climbed the line first, they took a collaborative approach and together claimed a shared first ascent, something that isn’t often seen in the world of hard bouldering.
In March this year, Nicolai made the first ascent of Mount Doom, a low start to the popular Hide and Sick V14 in Maltatal, grading the problem V17. Before Mount Doom, Užnik’s hardest boulder to date was making the first post-break ascent of Emotional Landscapes in Maltatal. A V15 before the breakage, Užnik graded the problem V16. According to his 8a.nu profile, he has six V15s to his name. In November 2024, he flashed American Gangster V14 in Zillertal, Austria. The 24-year-old has extensive IFSC Word Cup experience, making the finals at multiple events over the past few years.
Timo, 19, now has four V14 ascents to his name, all in Maltatal. His first was The Source, which he completed in 2023. He topped two of the grade last year, the classics Bügeleisen and Hide and Sick.
Užnik brothers on Airbag V14
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