Janja Garnbret climbs the iconic Bibliographie (F9b+)
- Tuesday 9th June 2026
On 6 June 2026, in Céüse, France, Janja Garnbret achieved another milestone in her already remarkable career when she completed the first female ascent of Bibliographie. This is one of the world's hardest sport climbs and a confirmed benchmark of the grade F9b+ – only five people have successfully climbed this route before Garnbret. She also becomes the second woman to climb F9b+ after Brooke Raboutou made an ascent of Excalibur in Drena, Italy, last year.
The 35-metre route, which was bolted by Ethan Pringle in 2009 and first climbed by Alexander Megos in 2020, has become one of the defining endurance testpieces of modern sport climbing. Characterised by sustained resistance climbing with more than 80 demanding moves, Bibliographie has seen only a handful of ascents to date. Originally graded F9c by Megos following his first ascent after 60 days of trying, the route was later downgraded to F9b+ by Stefano Ghisolfi after the second ascent in 2021, after finding new beta – a consensus that has since been widely accepted.
Garnbret had first tried the route shortly after the 2024 Olympics and ultimately completed it now on her fifth trip to Céüse. With her ascent, Bibliographie has now been climbed by six athletes, with the others making up the list being Sean Bailey in 2021, Seb Bouin in 2023 and Jorge Díaz-Rullo, also in 2023.
In an email sent out to the media, including Climber, after her ascent, Garnbret said, "It feels incredible. It's honestly really hard to describe. When the send happens, everything is smooth, everything is perfect. You basically don't feel what you're climbing anymore." For Garnbret, the successful ascent was the culmination of a process that demanded not only physical strength but also patience and persistence. "I think over the past five trips, I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about Céüse and the route itself. I was maybe less nervous than on previous trips. I felt the strongest and felt like I was ready for the process. These two weeks really tested me in a way that nothing did before. It tested my patience."
Adding, “Rather than building toward a planned final attempt, the send came unexpectedly. “On what was planned to be a warm-up on the route, I just felt perfect and kept going. I was just in my own bubble, in my own world, just doing what I love most. Unlike other days, not a lot of people were at the crag, so no loud cheering. It was one of the most serene moments in my rock climbing career.”
Perfect Conditions on the Final Day
The successful ascent came on Garnbret's final climbing day in Céüse before returning to the competition circuit. After battling warm conditions throughout the trip, she finally found the window she had been waiting for: significantly cooler temperatures and a strong wind made for perfect conditions and ideal friction on the bulletproof limestone.
“This send is the accumulation of everything I learned over the past two years. This route taught me that with a calm mind and with patience, anything can happen. Never count yourself out – until the very last try, you need to fight hard,” Garnbret describes the size of the achievement.
“So, when it finally does happen, it’s an incredible feeling. All the work you’ve put in, all the commitment, the patience – when everything comes together, it feels incredible. Today my heart feels very full.”
While also looking ahead to the upcoming World Cup event in Innsbruck, where she can break the 50-victory barrier, the Slovenian wants to build on this achievement. “This is something that will stay with me forever. It will help me in future rock projects, in competitions, in training and whatever I do in life.”
Competition climber on the hardest rock terrain
Widely regarded as the most accomplished competition climber in history, the 27-year-old athlete has won two Olympic gold medals, ten World Championship titles and set a record number of World Cup victories.
While her indoor achievements have redefined competitive climbing over the past decade, Bibliographie marks Garnbret's most significant ascent on rock to date. “This route lit a fire in me. It made me feel something special, and I kept coming back to it. It definitely helped me become a better athlete and a better climber.”
Rather than focusing on grades or comparisons, Garnbret has repeatedly emphasised her passion for climbing itself. “I’m not doing this to prove anything, I just love climbing, and I think this is just the beginning,” she said. “I want to inspire the next generation not to be afraid of the grade. It doesn't matter if it's a man's or a woman's route – it's a route!”