On 10 October 2026, Austrian Jakob Schubert (35) clipped the chains of DNA at La Ramirole in the Verdon Gorge, France – the first time any route graded 9c has ever been repeated. As with his ascent of B.I.G. (9c) in Flatanger three years ago, he climbed it live: hundreds of viewers followed the stream on his YouTube channel, and DNA went down on his ninth live attempt.

DNA was established by Sébastien Bouin on 29 April 2022 after three years of work – bolting, cleaning, working the moves – about 150 days and more than 250 attempts. Bouin hesitated for a long time between 9b+ and 9c. Like the other walls at La Ramirole, the route is long and steep.

Until now none of the world's five 9c routes had seen a second ascent, so Schubert's send is the first confirmation of the hardest grade in sport climbing. Schubert had already hinted in his videos that DNA might be one of the hardest routes in the world, "if not the hardest". If B.I.G. is confirmed too, he will be the only climber with two 9c routes. "A day I will never forget," he wrote – more details to follow.

Watch the livestream on YouTube: DNA (9c) - LIVE ASCENT (omg, it actually happened!!!!).

Source: Lacrux. Cover photo: Michael Piccolruaz.