Midtbø, 22, had been trying La Novena Puerta since last winter. The route has bouldery cruxes through a notoriously difficult cave, the Cova Grande.

“Last season when I first tried this route, I just remember getting so spanked—every individual move felt so hard,” Midtbø said on her 8a.nu scorecard. “Very cool to feel progression and see how the body adapts after working it.” Midtbø completed three 5.14b routes in the same cave in Santa Linya last winter; she was the first Norwegian woman to climb that grade.

Farther to the east, near the Catalonian coast, Amma spent five days projecting La Rambla, redpointing on his seventh attempt.  He’ll be staying in Spain to work his next project, Golpe de Estado (5.15b). A year ago, he climbed Pachamama (5.15a) in Oliana, Spain. Only weeks ago, Amma clinched his first Lead World Cup season title at the final competition of 2012 in Slovenia.

Source: 8a.nu

Dates of ascents: November 29-30, 2012