Alex Megos

Alexander Megos (born 12 August 1993) is a German rock climber. He was the first climber to on-sight (climb on the first try without prior practice or advice) a route graded . He has completed multiple routes and boulder problems that are notoriously difficult, including two routes (''Perfecto Mundo'' and ''Bibliographie''), six routes (''First Round, First Minute'', ''Fight Club,'' ''King Capella,'' ''Ratstaman Vibrations,'' and ''The Full Journey''), and some boulders with a confirmed rating.

Climbing career

Megos started climbing at the age of six. With his father, he climbed multi-pitch routes up to 300 m at the age of ten. In 2006, Megos began training in the mountainous region of his native Bavaria, known as Franconian Switzerland, and later at the German Alpine Club's national climbing center in Erlangen-Nuremberg. There, he was mentored by Patrick Matros and Ludwig Korb, who continue to train and coach Megos to this day. In 2007, Megos completed his first . Two years later, in 2009, he climbed his first by completing ''Drive-by Shooting,'' and, in 2011, his first by ascending ''San Ku Kai''.

Since 2006, Alexander Megos has been climbing competitively. He won two youth European Championship titles (2009 and 2010) and was the runner-up in the youth World Champion in 2011. In 2009, he won every single competition in the EYC series. In 2017, he was the runner-up in bouldering at the European Championship and won his first World Cup in the lead climbing discipline in Briançon, France, on 21 July 2018.

After graduating from high school in 2012, he has dedicated himself to climbing. On 24 March 2013, he ascended ''Estado Critico'' in Siurana, Spain, completing the world's first 9a on-sight. In August 2013, Megos climbed ''The Red Project'' 9a (35), Australia's first 9a, and ''Wheelchair'' (9a+). Due to the boulder's uncommonly long length, Megos assigned the ''Wheelchair'' a sport grading.

Alexander Megos is known for speedily ascending difficult climbing routes. From mid-April to mid-June 2014, he completed nine routes, ranging from to , in Franconian Switzerland, including ''Modified'' , one of the most challenging routes in the region. He also managed a redpoint attempt of the famous ''Action Directe'' within two hours, setting a record time. In addition, he is the only person to complete one-day tours of ''Biography'' and '' Realization'' in Ceüse, France.

In June 2014, Alexander Megos, together with Roger Schäli, completed the first ascent of the 20-pitch route ''Fly'' in Staldeflue, Switzerland, one of the most difficult big-wall climbing routes in the world.

In April 2015, Megos returned to Australia, completing the first ascent of ''SchweinebaumeIn'' 9a (35). On 1 October 2015, he climbed the route ''Supernova'' in Franconian Switzerland and, by doing so, likely established the first route of grade 11+ (UIAA) (9a + / 9b French) in German-speaking countries.

Megos' ascent of ''First Round First Minute'' in December 2015 marked the completion of his first .

On 9 May 2018, he secured the first ascent of the route ''Perfecto Mundo'' in Margalef, Spain, a line bolted by Chris Sharma. Megos and Sharma had tried it together several times in the days before his ascent and graded it .

In 2017, he won the silver medal for bouldering at both the European Championships in Munich and the IFSC Lead World Cup in Kranj, Slovenia. In 2018, he won a bronze medal in the lead climbing discipline at the IFSC World Cup in Chamonix, France, and, one week later, won the gold medal at the Briancon World Cup. Later in that year, he took the bronze medal at the World Championships in the lead competition. He followed this up with a silver in lead at the 2019 World Championships. By reaching the finals of the combined event at the World Championships, he secured a qualifying spot for Tokyo's 2020 Summer Olympics.

Megos has also climbed in the La Sportiva Legends competitions, where he has placed second and third on numerous occasions, celebrating in a win in 2018. He currently holds the high point of Black Diamond's ''The Project'', which is widely considered one of the world's hardest indoor routes.

In May 2020, Megos ascended ''Upgrade U'' 8C, one of the most challenging boulder problems in his native northern Bavaria.

In August 2020, Megos completed his long-term project ''Bibliographie'' in Céüse, grading it , after working on it for 60 days. However, in August 2021, after Stefano Ghisolfi had matched this feat, the route was downgraded to , which Megos agreed was more fitting.

Notable ascents

Redpointed routes

:* '' Bibliographie'' (5 August 2020). First Ascent (after 60 days of effort). Route bolted by Ethan Pringle.
:* ''Perfecto Mundo'' (9 May 2018). First Ascent. Route bolted by Chris Sharma.

:* ''First Round, First Minute'' (31 December 2015). Third Ascent. First Ascent by Chris Sharma.
:* ''Fight Club'' (14 August 2016). First Ascent. Route bolted by Sonnie Trotter.
:* ''Mejorando Imagen'' (25 April 2021). Second Ascent. First Ascent by Ramón Julián. Originally graded 9a, upgraded by Megos to 9b.
:* ''King Capella'' (November 2021). Second Ascent (after 9 days of effort). First Ascent by Will Bosi.
:* ''Ratstaman Vibrations'' (31 July 2022). First Ascent. Route bolted by Chris Sharma.
:* ''The Full Journey'' (9 October 2022). First Ascent. Route bolted by Tom Bolger.

9a+/b (5.15a/b)
:* ''Chan Chan Bastards''
:* ''Supernova'' - First Ascent.
:* ''La Capella''

:* ''Demencia Senil'' - First Ascent by Chris Sharma.
:* '' La Rambla'' - Megos climbed it on his second try.
:* '' Biographie'' - First Ascent by Chris Sharma. Megos climbed it in one day, on his third try.
:* ''Corona'' - Third Ascent.
:* ''Classified'' - First Ascent.
:* ''Modified'' - First Ascent.
:* ''First Ley'' - Megos also sent a variation called ''La Ley Indignata'' 9a (5.14d), possible first ascent.
:* ''Thor's Hammer'' - First Repeat. First Ascent by Adam Ondra.
:* ''Geocache'' - First Ascent. Repeated by Adam Ondra.
:* ''Becoming'' - First Ascent.
:* ''Super Crackinette'' - First Ascent.
:* ''Jaws 2'' - Sent on third try.

:*''Action Directe'' - Megos sent this route in just two hours. Action Directe was the world's first 9a, and continues to be a benchmark for the grade.
:* ''La Sensación del Bloque'' - March 2017 - FA of the first South American 9a in Valle de los Condores, Chile.
:*''Dreamcatcher'' - Fourth Ascent. Climbed in one day, other previous ascents by Chris Sharma, Sean McColl and Ben Harnden took multiple days.
:*''Era Vella'' - Second Try. Subject to much controversy about whether it is 9a(14d) or 8c+(14c).
:* ''Speed Intégrale'' - Voralpsee, Switzerland in two days, 2017
:* ''Coup de grâce'' - Val Bavona, Switzerland second go, 2017

Other notable ascents

:*''Pure Imagination:'' 8c+ (5.14c). Flash.
:* ''Fly:'' 8c (5.14b). Megos made the first free ascent of this twenty pitch big wall in Switzerland.
:*'' Hubble: 8c+ (5.14c)'' - Megos became the first to climb both Action Directe and Hubble by sending Hubble in June 2016.

Onsighted routes

:* ''Estado Critico'' - World's first 9a onsight.
:* ''TCT''

:* ''Victimes del Passat''

Boulder problems

:* ''Wheelchair'' - First Ascent. Although Megos suggested a 9a+ sport climbing grade because of its length, this ''Wheel of Life'' variation is not a sport climb. It is a long boulder problem, harder than ''Wheel of Life'', and possibly worth a 8C+ (V16) rating.

:* ''Story of Two Worlds'' - First Ascended by Dave Graham in 2005, repeated by Megos in December 2020.
:* ''Dreamtime'' - Ascended by Megos on 18 December 2020.
:*''Upgrade U'' - First Ascent May 2020, rated 8C and accepted as the hardest boulder problem in the Frankenjura.
:*''Half Life'' - Second ascent April 2020, Frankenjura, Megos confirmed as 8C
:*''The Finnish Line'' - Summer 2017 - Second ascent of hard testpiece established by Nalle Hukkataival in Rocklands, South Africa. The grade is still controversial, but consensus seems to grow on .
:* ''Wheel of Life:'' - First Ascent by Dai Koyamada. Megos suggested a sport climbing grade of 9a (5.14d), but this is not a sport climb. It is a long boulder problem, rated 8C.
:*
Lucid Dreaming
' - Third Ascent of Paul Robinson's boulder, originally graded 8C+ (V16).

:* ''Never Ending Story''
:* ''Bad Boys for Life'' - First Ascent.
:* ''Montecore:''
:* ''Riot Act''
:* ''Double Demerit'' - First Repeat.
:* ''Sky''
:* ''Trainspotting'' - First Ascent.

Rankings

Climbing World Cup

Climbing World Championships

Youth

Adult

Climbing European Championships

Number of medals in the Climbing World Cup

Lead

See also

*List of grade milestones in rock climbing
*History of rock climbing
* Rankings of most career IFSC gold medals

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Megos, Alex
1993 births
Living people
German rock climbers
Sport climbers at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Olympic sport climbers of Germany
Sportspeople from Erlangen