MARGO HAYES BECOMES FIRST WOMAN TO FREE CLIMB115 FOOT 15.5A CLIFF IN FRANCE

Margo Hayes has become the first woman to free climb La Rambla in Spain and Biographie (Realization) in France. These two climbs were well over 115 feet high, and rated at 5.15a grade in the US or a 9a+ in the UK. 

Each climb is graded on the difficulty of the climb by using one of the five systems. The French system is an internationally recognised system for grading sport climbs and is therefore used on bolted routes within the UK.  

According to the website Guide Dolomiti, “The UK system is made of two sub-grades, an adjective grade and a technical grade. The adjective grade describes the overall difficulty of the climb taking into consideration how strenuous the route is, the amount of exposure and the availability of protection. The adjective grades are as follows: Moderate (M), Very Difficult (VD), Hard Very Difficult HVD), Mild Severe (MS), Severe (S), Hard Severe (HS), Mild Very Severe (MVS), Very Severe (VS), Hard Very Severe (HVS) and Extremely Severe. The Extremely Severe grade is also broken down into 10 further sub grades from E1 to E11. The numerical technical grading describes the hardest (crux) move on the climb.”

Nineteen year old Hayes has created history by climbing one of the highest and most difficult graded climbs. She did her first climb at La Rambla, in Siurana, Spain, in 2017, and a few months later she did her second 5.15, sending Chris Sharma’s legendary route Biographie (AKA Realization).

In an interview with Reel Rock, Hayes explained what motivates her and how she prepares her body and mind for such a challenging climb. She also described her Biographie climb, which is featured in the film.

“This is an extended and remastered cut of Margo’s historic ascent of Biographie, showcasing her incredible grace, determination, and mastery of climbing movement.”