First Female Ascent of Propaganda (V12/13)

5/19/11 - Norwegian climber Therese Johansen has repeated Propaganda, a boulder problem in Vingsand, Norway, that Bernd Zangerl gave V13 after his first ascent in 2010.

Johansen suggested V12 for the grade, as she found easier beta on two moves. She has at least two other V12s under her belt—Steinbukken and The Left Hand of Darkness—and on her blog says she finds it hard to believe she has climbed V13. "Bernd Zangerl did the FA last year and put it in V13," she says. "Although with my new beta on 1 or 2 moves, I don't know. Hard V12 or V13, either way it feels like the hardest I've done, and it was a really cool climb."

If the harder grade is confirmed, Johansen joins a short list of women who have bouldered V13—including Angie Payne (The Automator, RMNP) and Austrian Anna Stöhr (The Riverbed, Magic Wood). And don't forget fellow Austrian Barbara Zangerl and Dorothea Karalus of Germany, who made ascents of Pura Vida (V12/13), also in Magic Wood.

Next week, the 21-year-old is headed to Rocklands, South Africa, next week for more bouldering. Check out her blog for photos of the Propaganda ascent.

Date of ascent: May 13, 2011

Source: climbing.com, fiveten.com, therese-johansen.blogspot.com (in Norwegian)