Sharma Sends Neanderthal (5.15)

News Link: Chris Sharma, reportedly super-close to completing his long-term project First Round, First Minute at Margalef, Spain, got snowed out of that crag and traveled to Santa Linya, where he proceeded to redpoint another mega-project: Neanderthal (tentatively given 9b/5.15b). The route begins with 8a (5.13b) to a no-hands rest, followed by sustained, difficult climbing to a huge dyno and then more desperate climbing to the top of Santa Linya’s main cave.

You can see Joe Kinder photos of Sharma and Tomaz Mrazek working on the route here and here.

There's a small album of photos of Sharma on his new route, plus an interview with him in Spanish at Desnivel.com

Date of Ascent: December 18, 2009

Sources: 8a.nu, Dailaojeda.blogspot.com, Bigupproductions.com