Shawn Raboutou has climbed the low-start to Nalle Hukkataival's Off the Wagon (8B+) in Val Bavona, Switzerland. It is suggested this could be the first Font 8C+ in Switzerland, after Dave Graham's problem The Story of Two Worlds (f8C) has settled at 8C. The problem was made famous by Chris Sharma and Dave Graham's attempts in the films Dosage 3 & 4. Hukkataival eventually climbed the stand start to the problem in 2012.
Arriving in Switzerland around ten days ago, Raboutou made the 2nd ascent of Dave Graham's Foundation's Edge at Fionnay. He then set his sights on the low-start project to Off the Wagon. Giuliano Cameroni posted the video below of Raboutou on an unsuccessful attempt:
Off the Wagon features a huge move from some poor crimps to a slightly better hold, although the feet are atrocious. The low-start adds another large move, before some hand and foot movements to set up for the stand start.
Raboutou has had a productive 2018 and has managed an ascent of Daniel Wood's Creature from the Black Lagoon in Rocky Mountain National Park, for which he suggested a grade of 8C. He also made quick work of Hukkataival's Rocklands testpiece The Finnish Line - another stunning 8C.
Cameroni and Raboutou published this film of their exploits in Fontainebleau in 2017 (note the downclimb of Karma!):
Comments
Not just a down climb of Karma in the Mellow Times video, he climbs straight back up it again and makes it look easy. Very impressive. Starts at 8:10.
It’s obscene.
Related to Didier?
Don of Didier and Robyn Erbesfield.
If you are cranking 8C+ you definitely get the title 'Don of...'.