Tom Bolger Climbs Fifth 5.14d in Spain

1/25/12 - British climber Tom Bolger recently redpointed Fabela pa la enmienda (5.14d) in the cave at Santa Linya, Spain, ticking his fifth route of the grade. Bolger had been attempting the nearby route Catxasa (5.15a), but after falling at the top numerous times, he switched to Fabela pa la enmienda.

He'd dialed in the bottom bottom section, Fabela (5.14c), from having climbed it in May 2010. "On my first redpoint [attempt], I thought I would never have the fitness to link the enormous line," he said in an email. "But after five goes in total, I did it."

Here's how Bolger describes the route: "Fabela pa la enmienda is about recovery and being able to suffer! You do an 5.14c to a rest where you have to recover hanging on your arms. You then have to do the long upper section that is probably 5.14a in its own right, which is really physical, very Dani Andrada–style."

Bolger lives in Santa Linya. He says he's psyched to try other Spanish testpieces, like Papichulo, Demencia Senil, and La Rambla, all 5.15a's. "The season so far here in Catalonia has been amazing," he said. He's also interested in trying Biographie (5.15a; aka Realization) in Céüse and Kinematix (5.14d) in Gorge de Loup. Bolger added, "With my new sponsorship with Edelrid, I feel more confident than ever about achieving my climbing ambitions."

Fabela pa la enmienda was first climbed in 2008 by Eduard Marin, then repeated by Dani Andrada, Patxi Usobiaga, Adam Ondra, and Mathieu Bouyoud.

Date of ascent: January 18, 2012

Source: Tom Bolger / tombolgerclimbing.blogspot.com, 8a.nu

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