Brooke Raboutou: Youngest Ascent of 5.14b
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7/19/12 – Brooke Raboutou has become not only the youngest woman, but the youngest person in the world to climb 5.14b, at age 11. Raboutou, daughter of Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou, climbed Welcome to Tijuana in Rodellar, Spain.
Robyn, who’s won multiple world cup competitions and who’s the coach of the successful Team ABC youth climbing group, detailed Brooke’s ascent:
“Brooke has looked good from the very beginning, but until a few days ago, she couldn’t do the final moves just before the belay. These are the same moves that gave Shawn [Brooke’s brother] trouble last year—small holds far apart. The taller people do a big move and it’s over, but Shawn and Brooke found a way for them that ends up being the hardest moves on the entire climb. Once she got the last boulder problem, she started trying to redpoint. After getting to the top six times (basically doing the 5.14b), she finally pulled off the final four moves and sent the route. It was beautiful to watch and the entire valley of Rodellar was cheering for her.”
In April 2012, Brooke climbed her first 5.14a with God’s Own Stone in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky.
Adam Ondra previously held this record when he redpointed Mascherina (5.14b) in the Grotta del Aeronauta, Italy, in 2005.
Date of ascent: July 2012
Source: teamabcboulder.wordpress.com
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