Jessica Pilz has climbed her first 9a. On 15 October she sent Hades at Götterwandl near Nassereith in Tyrol, a power-endurance testpiece first climbed by Andreas Bindhammer in 2008. It's an odd milestone for someone who already has a 9a+ on her list. In November 2024 she redpointed Papichulo in Oliana and skipped the grade below altogether.

"This route had been on my mind for years, but I'd always been too intimidated by the grade to give it a go," Pilz wrote on Instagram. These were her first days on rock this year. Competitions take up most of her season, so she was keen to get it done before the cold sets in.

Hades doesn't give away ascents easily: Ondra needed nine attempts back in 2009, while Rogora made short work of it on her third try earlier this year. Pilz now adds her name to the wall, fresh off bronze in Paris and squeezing in rock mileage between comp blocks.

Sources: Gripped, Climbing History, Planetmountain (first ascent), Planetmountain (Papichulo)