BLACK DIAMOND PRESENTS: HARD SENDS WITH SEB BOUIN—EL GRAN CABRON, CHINA’S FIRST 5.15B (9b)
Watch BD Athlete Seb Bouin establish the hardest sport route in China.
Coming to China, I had no idea what to expect.
Lost among hundreds of incredible caves and walls, I feel like a child in the middle of an amusement park—completely in awe. Everywhere I look, I’m blown away. It’s an incredible feeling to realize that almost everything here is yet to be discovered. There are so many caves, so many untouched walls—it’s just a matter of choosing the one that calls to us.
Every day is thrilling, filled with adventure, discovery, new experiences, and climbing projects. Immersed in a completely new culture, I’m taking in a wave of novelty and adaptation.
I went straight to check out 射雕 / El Gran Cabron, bolted by David Gambús. I couldn’t make sense of all the moves at first. The climbing here is incredibly complex, with so many methods to figure out. I was surprised by the quality of the rock and the movement-style of the route. It’s absolutely beautiful and super fun to climb! The crux sequences involve pinches and really physical moves—I love it!
It’s an incredible experience to find such a project and challenge myself in a setting like this. China leaves no one indifferent—I feel like this trip is opening my mind in so many ways. The distance, the unfamiliar culture, and this new way of life disorient me as much as they fascinate me. There are plenty of additional doubts that come with adapting, making the adventure all the more exciting.
It starts with a 7c+/8a, followed by a 7b+ boulder, then a good kneebar rest. After that comes the crux: an 8a boulder with amazing moves on vertical holds—exactly my style!
Then there’s a decent rest leading into a tricky 7b+/c boulder, where I fell around five times due to mistakes on small details. Finally, you have to finish on a 7a+ boulder, where I fell once before grabbing the final jug.
Sending such a cool route in China was the perfect way to top off an already incredible adventure.
Huge thanks to the locals (@riverhechuan @zhoudi1994…) for their incredible hospitality and for all the development they’ve done here. Amazing work, guys—BRAVO!
—Seb Bouin
MORE HARD SENDS WITH SEB BOUIN
HARD SENDS with Seb Bouin: ACL (9b/5.15b)
In the first of the Hard Sends series, BD athlete Seb Bouin takes us to Pic Saint Loup near his home in France, where he attempts the first ascent of ACL (5.15b)—a route he bolted in memory of his grandfather.
Hard Sends with Seb Bouin—Jamming Destruction 9a+/b
In episode 3 of Hard Sends, Seb heads to Saint Auban—a recently developed climbing area in southern France. In classic Seb style, he quickly finds potential for first ascents and of course, a few king lines.
