Realization (climb)

{{Short description|Sport climbing route in France}}{{Redirects here|Biographie|the genre|Biography}}{{Infobox climbing route

| name = Realization

| photo = File:Céüse secteurs Berlin et Biographie.jpg

| photo_caption = Sectors Berlin (left) and Biographie (right, overhanging) on the Corniche de Céûse

| other_name = Biographie

| map = France

| map_width = 220

| map_caption = Map showing the approximate location of Realization / Biographie

| location = Céüse, France

| coords = {{coord|44.4981333|5.9482208|type:mountain_region:FR|display=inline,title}}

| climbing_area = Céüse

| route_type = Sport Climb

| vertical_gain = {{Convert|35|m|ft|adj=on}}

| pitches = 1

| rating = {{Climbing grade|9a+}}

| grade =

| bolted_by = Jean-Christophe Lafaille, 1989.

| first_ascent =

| ffa = Chris Sharma, 18 July 2001.{{cite web | url=https://climbing-history.org/climb/513/biographie | website=climbing-history.org | accessdate=25 December 2021 | title=Biographie / Realization, 9a+ Sport route at Céüse}}

| fastest_ascent =

}}

Realization, also called Biographie, is a circa {{Convert|35|m|ft|adj=on}} sport climbing route on an overhanging limestone cliff on the southern face of Céüse mountain, near Gap and Sigoyer, in France. After it was first climbed in 2001 by American climber Chris Sharma, it became the first rock climb in the world to have a consensus grade of {{Climbing grade|9a+}}.{{efn|It is possible that it was not the actual first-ever 9a+ route to be climbed, as in 2008 Czech climber Adam Ondra estimated that Alexander Huber's 1996 ascent of {{ill|Open Air (climb)|lt=Open Air|de|Open Air (Kletterroute)}} (in Tyrol, Austria) was at {{Climbing grade|9a+}}. Climbing author Andrew Bisharat notes in a 2016 essay on climbing re-grades, that "The other interesting point about Open Air that’s worth mentioning is that the route reportedly contains some rather flaky holds that have broken off over the years. So was the Open Air that Ondra climbed the exact same route that Alex Huber climbed? Maybe, but probably not."}} It is considered an historic and important route in rock climbing, and one of the most attempted climbs at its grade.

History

File:Ceuse001.jpg

In 1989, French climber Jean-Christophe Lafaille bolted the entire circa 35 metre pitch, and named it Biographie (he was not able to climb it).{{cite web | url=https://www.up-climbing.com/en/falesia/news/24847 | title=Biographie and the importance of the names | date=18 August 2010 | accessdate=22 December 2021 | website=UP-climbing.com}} Biographie remained a long-standing open project, and in 1996, French climber {{ill|Arnaud Petit|fr}} freed the lower half of the route, added an anchor at his high-point and graded it at {{Climbing grade|8c+}}. Petit estimated that the remaining unclimbed section was about {{Climbing grade|8b+}} but had a very difficult {{boulder grade|7C}} boulder problem that he could not overcome. American climber Chris Sharma made over 30 attempts from 1996 to 2000 but could also not overcome the boulder move. In 2001, Sharma skipped the Bouldering World Cup in Gap, and after three days working on the route, on 18 July 2001, successfully free climbed the route, linking up Petit's first section to Lafaille's final bolt.

Sharma's first ascent was captured in Josh Lowell's 2002 climbing film, Dosage Volume 1. Witnessing his ascent was a 10-year old {{ill|Charlotte Durif|fr}}, who was out hiking with her father.{{cite web | website=Petzl | url=https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/News/2023-5-20/700-and-Counting-%E2%80%94-From-Hard-Routes-to-Bolting-New-Lines-with-Charlotte-Durif | title=Interview with Charlotte Durif | date=20 May 2023 | accessdate=3 January 2024}}

Sharma did not assign a grade to the climb.{{cite magazine | magazine=Outside | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/a-for-effort-ondra-almost-flashes-realization-5-15a/ | title=A for Effort: Ondra Almost Flashes Realization (5.15a) | first=Susan | last=Costa | date=12 June 2012 | accessdate=22 December 2021}}{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain.com |url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews.lasso?l=2&keyid=33574 | title=Chris Sharma climbs Biographie!| date=19 July 2001|accessdate=22 December 2021}} however he did name it Realization.{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=38092|title=Chris Sharma, the energy of Biographie | website=Planetmountain.com | first=Roberto | last=Fioravanti | date=20 September 2001|accessdate=21 December 2021}} The naming was a source of controversy as in France climbing routes are named by the person who first bolted the route, while in the U.S. (and the U.K.), they are named by the first person to successfully free climb the route. Sharma would later clarify:{{cite web | url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/08/chris_sharma_about_that_route_at_ceuse-57372 | title=Chris Sharma about "that route at Céüse" | first=Bjorn | last=Pojl | date=17 August 2010 | accessdate=22 December 2021 | website=UKClimbing.com}} {{Quote|I named the route Realization because the first part "Biographie" ended in the middle and I wanted to differentiate the two. Then there was some frustration from the French that I changed the name etc. So upon speaking with some French friends, I understood the history of the line and the tradition in France that the bolter names it, and I told them "that's fine with me to call it Biographie". ... I guess the whole thing was a bit confusing due to the middle anchor and not wanting to discredit the first pitch or have the name be exactly the same as the first part. For me personally, people can call it whatever they want. Naming things is just for fun. ... That piece of rock was there long, long, before us, so to get worked up about naming it is kinda ridiculous.}}

Though only aged 20, Sharma considered retiring after completing the ascent, but found new inspiration in extreme deep-water soloing routes in Mallorca. It took almost three years until the second ascent was made by French climber, Sylvain Millet, who also refused to grade it given his lack of experience of other equivalent reference climbs, however, he noted that the failure of other strong climbers to repeat the route (e.g. Patxi Usobiaga, and Dave Graham), implied that 9a+ was the likely grade.{{cite magazine | magazine=Outside | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/millet-wont-grade-irealizationi/ | title=Millet Won't Grade Realization | date=8 June 2004 | first=Dougal | last=McDonald | accessdate=26 December 2021}}

On 24 September 2017, American climber Margo Hayes became the first female climber to climb the route.{{cite magazine | magazine=Rock & Ice | url=https://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/margo-hayes-sends-biographierealization-5-15a/ | first=Hayden | last=Carpenter | date=25 September 2017 | accessdate=26 December 2021 | title=Margo Hayes Sends Biographie/Realization (5.15a)}}{{cite magazine | magazine= Outside | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/hayes-climbs-realization-515/ | first=Matt | last=Samet | date=26 September 2017 | accessdate=26 December 2021 | title=Margo Hayes Redpoints Realization (5.15a)}} On 5 August 2020, German climber Alexander Megos created Bibliographie, a {{climbing grade|9b+}} route, a few metres to the right of Realization/Biographie.{{cite web | website=Gripped Magazine |url=https://gripped.com/news/breaking-news-sean-bailey-sends-bibliographie-5-15c/ | title=Breaking News: Sean Bailey Sends Bibliographie 5.15c | date=30 September 2021 | accessdate=4 February 2023}}

Route

The route starts with an immediate hard "four-move boulder problem", which partially broke in 2010, potentially rendering the lower section even more difficult (it has been compared to the notable bouldering problem, Necessarily Evil). Sustained 5.13 climbing after the initial bouldering problem leads to the main rest, a large right-facing flake. After this pause, a series of "super-resistant two and three-finger pocket moves", with cross-throughs, underclings, and high-steps lead to Arnaud Petit's old anchor (now since removed), which is almost halfway.

To the anchor, the route is considered {{climbing grade|5.14c}}, although some have suggested an upgrade to {{climbing grade|5.15a}} due to the initial bottom boulder breaking. There is a small rest at the old anchor, then sustained resistance climbing leads to a slightly better rest just below the finishing crux. This final crux is 12 moves, described as "a bunch of foot movement, and some very fickle pockets and crimps". Its difficulty is amplified by the amount of hard climbing undertaken to reach it. Above this crux is a small rest, and 5.11 climbing for 50 feet leads to the final anchor at around the circa 35-meter mark".

Legacy

Realization was the first route to carry a consensus {{Climbing grade|9a+}} grade, and Climbing called it a "technical revolution" in rock climbing.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.climbing.com/people/interview-the-future-of-sharma/ | title=Interview: The Future of Sharma | date=27 September 2016 | first=Chris | last=Noble | accessdate=22 December 2021 | magazine= Outside}} The quality and sustained difficulty of Realization means it is still considered an important rite-of-passage for the world's best rock climbers, whose repeat ascents of the "legendary" route, are covered by the climbing media.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/fifteen-year-old-repeats-realization/ | title=Fifteen-Year-Old Repeats Realization | date=16 August 2010 | accessdate=22 December 2021 | magazine= Outside }} Outside magazine called it "the benchmark for the grade", and it has become one of the most attempted and repeated routes at the grade at {{Climbing grade|9a+}}.{{cite web | url=https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106334536/biographie-realization | title=Biographie / Realization | website=MountainProject.com | accessdate=22 December 2021 | quote=One of the most repeated 9a+'s in the world but also one of the oldest.}} In 2014, National Geographic called it, "one of the most famous sport-climbing routes in the world". PlanetMountain included Realization on its list of important climbs in the evolution of free climbing (1918–2013).{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain.com | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/the-evolution-of-free-climbing.html | title=The evolution of free climbing | date=23 December 2012 | first=Maurizio | last=Oviglia | accessdate=4 January 2022}}

In 2012, when Adam Ondra attempted to flash the route (i.e. complete on the first attempt) he said: "It had always been my long-term crazy dream to flash this route". In 2014, when American climber Jonathan Siegrist made the eighth ascent of the route and told Outside magazine: "I can remember the first time that I saw the route — it is truly magnificent. I was shocked to see that such a bold and impressive, seemingly perfect line exists. Add to that, the historic significance of this climb, not to mention its unique and brilliant holds and movement — it really is a proud route".{{cite magazine | accessdate=22 December 2021 | magazine= Outside | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/jonathan-siegrist-sends-biographie-5-15a-aka-realization/ | date=3 June 2014 | title=Jonathan Siegrist Sends Biographie (5.15a) AKA Realization}} On repeating the route in 2014, German climber Alexander Megos said: "I wanted to climb this route because it is the world’s first 9a+ and definitely one of the most famous routes worldwide! But it’s not just the history behind the route, also the route itself is one of the best ones I ever climbed!".{{cite magazine | magazine=National Geographic | url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/behind-the-shot-alexander-megos-20-on-climbing-world-famous-biographierealization-ceuse-france | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224121200/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/behind-the-shot-alexander-megos-20-on-climbing-world-famous-biographierealization-ceuse-france | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 24, 2021 | title=Behind the Shot: Alexander Megos, 20, on Climbing World-Famous Biographie in France | first=Mary-Anne | last=Potts | date=14 July 2014 | accessdate=24 December 2021}} In 2016, remembering his own 2015 repeat of the route, Italian climber Stefano Ghisolfi called it, "..perhaps the most famous cutting-edge route in the world".{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain.com | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/stefano-ghisolfi-a-year-after-climbing-biographie.html | date=27 June 2016 | accessdate=26 December 2021 | title=Stefano Ghisolfi, a year after climbing Biographie}}

=Subsequent first 9a+ contendors=

Many years after the ascent of Realization, other earlier sport climbs have been revisited as potential first-ever 9a+ routes:

In 2008, Adam Ondra completed the second ascent of Alexander Huber's 1996 route {{ill|Open Air (climb)|lt=Open Air|de|Open Air (Kletterroute)}} at Austria's Schleierfall, and felt it was {{climbing grade|9a+}}; Huber freed it in 1996 and graded it as {{climbing grade|9a}}, but Ondra felt that Open Air was harder than "benchmark" climbs such as Weiss Rose, Action Directe, and even La Rambla, which are {{climbing grade|9a}} or {{climbing grade |9a+}}.{{cite web | url=https://gripped.com/news/chris-sharma-turns-40-today-happy-birthday/ | date=23 April 2021 | accessdate=22 December 2021 | title=Chris Sharma Turns 40 Today, Happy Birthday! | website=Gripped.com}}{{cite magazine | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/groundbreaking-515-gets-second-ascent/ | title=Groundbreaking 5.15 Gets Second Ascent | first=Dougald | last=McDonald | date=15 June 2012 | accessdate=22 December 2021 | magazine= Outside}} Climbing author Andrew Bisharat noted in a 2016 essay on regrading, that "The other interesting point about Open Air that’s worth mentioning is that the route reportedly contains some rather flaky holds that have broken off over the years. So was the Open Air that Ondra climbed the exact same route that Alex Huber climbed? Maybe, but probably not."{{cite web | website=EveningSends | first=Andrew | last=Bisharat | url=https://eveningsends.com/setting-and-revising-the-record-in-climbing/ | date=4 April 2016 | title=Setting and Revising the Record in Climbing | accessdate=21 June 2022}}

In 2021, Will Bosi completed the second ascent of Steve McClure's 1998 route Mutation at Raven Tor crag in Millers Dale, in the Peak District in England, and felt it was {{climbing grade|9a+}}; McClure freed it in 1998 and graded it as {{climbing grade|9a}}. Bosi felt it was possibly even {{climbing grade|9b}}.{{Cite web |title=NEWSFLASH: First Repeat of Mutation 9a by Will Bosi, Proposes 9a+ |url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2021/11/first_repeat_of_mutation_9a_by_will_bosi_proposes_9a+-72918 |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=www.ukclimbing.com |language=en}}

Ascents

Realization, or Biographie, has been ascended by:

1st. Chris Sharma on July 18, 2001
2nd. Sylvain Millet on May 24, 2004{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews4.lasso?l=2&keyid=34560|title=Millet repeats Realization!|publisher=planetmountain.com|date=27 May 2004|accessdate=16 May 2013}}
3rd. Patxi Usobiaga on July 29, 2004{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews.lasso?l=2&keyid=34602|title=Patxi Usobiaga repeats Realization 9a+ at Ceuse|publisher=planetmountain.com|date=2 August 2004|accessdate=16 May 2013}}
4th. Dave Graham on July 30, 2007{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/news/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=35737|title=Dave Graham sends Realisation at Ceuse|publisher=planetmountain.com|date=31 July 2007|accessdate=16 May 2013}}
5th. Ethan Pringle on September 2, 2007{{Cite web|url=http://www.climbing.com/news/pringle-sends-irealizationi/|title=Pringle Sends Realization |magazine=Climbing| first=Dougald |last=MacDonald | date=6 September 2007 | accessdate=28 July 2023}}
6th. Ramón Puigblanque on July 27, 2008{{Cite web|url=http://www.up-climbing.com/en/news/rock/repeated-realization|title=Repeated Realization - Sixth repetition by Ramon Julian|publisher=up-climbing.com|date=26 September 2008|accessdate=16 May 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306080553/http://www.up-climbing.com/en/news/rock/repeated-realization|archivedate=6 March 2016}}
7th. {{ill|Enzo Oddo|it}} on August 15, 2010{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/news/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=37557|title=Ceuse hard sends by Enzo Oddo, David Lama and Alizée Dufraisse|publisher=planetmountain.com|date=24 August 2010|accessdate=16 May 2013}}
8th. Jonathan Siegrist on June 1, 2014{{Cite web|url=http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/q-a-jonathan-siegrist-sends-biographie-realization-5-15a|title=Jonathan Siegrist Sends Biographie/Realization (5.15a)|publisher=rockandice.com|date=2 June 2014|accessdate=2 June 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605155146/http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/q-a-jonathan-siegrist-sends-biographie-realization-5-15a|archivedate=5 June 2014}}
9th. Alex Megos on July 11, 2014{{Cite web|url=http://www.escalando.org/2014/07/alex-megos-realization|title=Alex Megos encadena "Realization" en tres pegues|publisher=escalando.org|date=17 July 2014|accessdate=17 July 2014}}
10th. Adam Ondra on July 22, 2014{{Cite web|url=http://www.escalando.org/2014/07/adam-ondra-podria-haber-encadenado-realization-9a-5-15a/|title=CONFIRMADO: Adam Ondra encadenó Realization 9a+ (5.15a|publisher=escalando.org|date=24 July 2014|accessdate=24 July 2014}}
11th. Sachi Amma on August 7, 2014{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=69097|title=Biographie, 9a+, by Amma|publisher=ukclimbing.com|date=8 August 2014|accessdate=30 May 2016}}
12th. Stefano Ghisolfi on June 22, 2015{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=69799|title=Biographie, 9a+, by Ghisolfi|publisher=ukclimbing.com|date=22 June 2015|accessdate=30 May 2016}}
13th. Jon Cardwell on May 25, 2016{{Cite web|url=http://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/jon-cardwell-sends-biographie-realization-5-15a|title=Jon Cardwell Sends Biographie/Realization (5.15a)|publisher=rockandice.com|date=25 May 2016|accessdate=30 May 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928103221/http://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/jon-cardwell-sends-biographie-realization-5-15a|archivedate=28 September 2017}}
14th. Sean Bailey on August 5, 2016{{Cite web|url=http://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/sean-bailey-20-clips-chains-on-biographie-5-15a|title=Sean Bailey, 20, Clips Chains on Biographie/Realization (5.15a)|website=www.rockandice.com|language=en|access-date=2017-05-16|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611075239/http://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/sean-bailey-20-clips-chains-on-biographie-5-15a|archivedate=2017-06-11}}
15th. Margo Hayes on September 24, 2017
16th. Piotr Schab on July 3, 2018{{Cite web|website=PlanetMountain | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/piotr-schab-8c-first-ascent-onsight-at-cuenca-and-biographie-at-ceuse.html|title=Piotr Schab 8c first ascent onsight at Cuenca and Biographie at Céüse | date=4 July 2018 | accessdate=20 July 2023}}
17th. {{ill|Stefano Carnati|cs}} on September 22, 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.planetmountain.com/it/notizie/arrampicata/stefano-carnati-a-ceuse-chiude-biographie.html|title=Stefano Carnati a Céüse chiude Biographie | website=PlanetMountain | date=23 September 2018 | accessdate=20 July 2023}}
18th. {{ill|Jorge Díaz-Rullo|de}} on July 13, 2019{{cite web | website=Planetmountain.com | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/jorge-diaz-rullo-dials-biographie-ceuse-france.html | title=Jorge Díaz-Rullo dials Biographie at Céüse in France | date=14 July 2019 | accessdate=25 December 2021}}
19th. Sébastien Bouin on June 13, 2020{{cite web | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/sebastien-bouin-blasts-up-biographie-in-ceuse.html | title=Sébastien Bouin blasts up Biographie at Céüse | date=14 June 2020 | accessdate=25 December 2021 | website=Planetmountain.com}}
20th. Matty Hong on May 29, 2023.{{cite web | magazine=Climbing | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/hong-does-biographie-cobra-crack-sees-a-repeat-and-70th-anniversary-of-everest-fa/ | title=Hong Does ‘Biographie,’ Cobra Crack Sees a Repeat, and 70th Anniversary of Everest FA | date=30 May 2023 | accessdate=20 July 2023 | first=Delaney | last=Miller}}

First female free ascents (FFFA):

1st. Margo Hayes on September 24, 2017

Filmography

Chris Sharma's FFA: {{cite AV media | title=Dosage Volume I | asin=B000NOK288 | type=Motion picture| date=11 February 2002 | publisher=Big UP Productions | people= Lowell, Josh (director) | url= https://www.amazon.com/Dosage-Vol-1-Chris-Sharma/dp/B000NOK288/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=Josh+Lowell%2F+Big+Up&qid=1640448727&s=movies-tv&sr=1-13}}
Jonathan Siegrist's 8th ascent: {{cite AV media | title=Nomad Episide 1 | asin=| type=Motion picture| date=5 August 2014 | publisher=Bearcam Media| people=Saarentola, Donna (director) | url= https://www.climbing.de/news/video-the-story-behind-jonathan-siegrists-send-of-biographierealization-9a-515a-21039.html }}
Margo Hayes' FFFA: {{cite AV media | title=Break on Through (ReelRock 12) | asin= | type=Motion picture| date=2 November 2017 | publisher=Sender Films | people= Hong, Matty; Mortimer, Peter (director) | url= https://www.mntnfilm.com/en/film/break-on-through-2017}}
Seb Bouin's 19th ascent: {{cite AV media | title=Seb Bouin's Vintage Rock Tour - Episode 3 | asin= | type=Motion picture | date=October 2020 | publisher=EpicTV | people=Pilcher, Hugo (director) | url= https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2020/10/seb_bouins_vintage_rock_tour_-_ceuse-72515 }}

Notes

References

=Further reading=

{{cite book | url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/books/france__haute_provence-704 | title=France : Haute Provence | first=Alan | last=Berry | isbn=9781873341278 | publisher=Rockfax | accessdate=25 December 2021 | date=2009}}
{{cite book | url=https://climb-europe.com/rockclimbingshop/ceuse-rock-climbing-guidebook.html | title=Ceuse Rock Climbing Guidebook | date=2018 | accessdate=30 December 2021 | first1=Rolland |last1=Marie | first2=Laurent |last2=Girousse}}

External links

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eTxQLfIUNY VIDEO: Chris Sharma, World's First 5.15], Big UP Productions (May 2002)
[https://gripped.com/video/watch-margo-hayes-send-biographie-5-15a/ VIDEO: Watch Margo Hayes Send Biographie 5.15a], Gripped Magazine (2021)

Category:Sport climbing routes

Category:2001 in sport climbing

Category:Sport in Hautes-Alpes

Category:Climbing in France