DiGiulian, Söderlund and Harrington repeat F8c/5.14b Spanish big wall
- Tuesday 27th September 2022
Sasha DiGiulian, Matilda Söderlund and Brette Harrington have repeated Rayu, in Picos de Europa, Spain becoming the first all-women team to ever climb a F8c/5.14b big wall.
First climbed over a five week period in 2020 by Iker Pou, Eneko Pou, and Kico Cerdá Rayu (Route Lightening) is a long hard mixed route on the south face of Peña Santa de Castilla, in Northern Spain’s stunning Picos de Europa National Park. Sasha DiGiulian, Matilda Söderlund and Brette Harrington completed their ascent on September 26th.
A former world champion and renowned climber, Sasha DiGiuilian was the driving force behind the expedition. Whilst she was the first American to climb 5.14d, DiGiuilian, has had extensive hip surgery in the last couple of years. DiGiullian asked her Swedish friend Matilda Söderlund to join the expedition because of her ability to climb hard - Söderlund has repeated F9a (5.14d) and bouldered Font8B (V13). Likewise, Brette Harrington is renowned for her crack-climbing and big wall experience having free soloed the 5.11a Chiaro di Luna on Aguja Saint-Exupery in Patagonia and climbed 5.13+ trad. Together, the three made a formidable team.
The first half of Rayu includes climbing up to 5.12 in difficulty and leads to a spacious, yet sharp and sloping ledge where the team spent their first night. “We alternated leads, freeing every pitch, and Matilda and I both freed on lead of the 8c,” explains DiGiullian. The crux F8c section, pitch 11, comes three rope lengths above the ledge and is followed by two more technical pitches and 60 meters of technical scrambling to the summit.
Whilst the team shared leads on the 610m route, only DiGiulian and Söderlund were able to lead Pitch 11, the F8c pitch on the main ascent. Both DiGiulian, Söderlund returned with Harrington afterwards to support her as she tried to complete the F8c. “There was nothing I wanted more than Brette to do the 8c,” says DiGiulian. “It was inspiring to see her progression and commitment.”
Summing up their ascent DiGiulian said, “It’s that feeling of digging deep and succeeding on something you didn’t think was possible.” She added, “Big wall free climbing is a reminder of what humans are capable of.”
Read more about this on the RedBull website here…