Action Directe | 9a Sport route at Waldkopf

UKClimbing.com | 8a.nu

Bolted by Milan Sykora.

Action Directe is a sport route in the Waldkopf area of the Frankenjura in Germany. It was first climbed by Wolfgang Güllich in 1991 who suggested a grade UIAA grade of XI which equates to roughly 8c+/9a. It has since settled at 9a making it one of the first of the grade in the world.

The route is famous for it's brutal, uncompromising climbing on one- and two-finger pockets. While training for the first ascent Wolfgang famously made use of the first campus board in the world (the board was erected in the Campus Centre gym in Nürnberg hence the name).

After an easier initial section leading to a ledge and hands-off rest the route consists of around 20 hand moves, a pure power-endurance testpiece.

The route is named after the french terror group of the same name.

References

[1] Written in Stone, Nov 2023 https://open.spotify.com/episode/3XjUWgzU7IMJgEWPzequbq?

[2] Written in Stone interview with Ben Cossey, Nov 2023 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0jLxfy5CRlOTykTmtG7MZe?

[3] Written in Stone interview with Alex Megos, Nov 2023 https://open.spotify.com/episode/5nhDlvoMlXj4jvCROnwSh6?

Contributors: remus (47 contributions since 09 Feb 2021)
Added 3rd December 2020. Last updated 3rd October 2024.

Pics + Vids

Wolfgang Güllich
Added at 20:10 on 16 October 2022
Alex Adler
Added at 07:02 on 09 February 2021
Alex Adler
Added at 08:11 on 15 November 2022
Iker Pou
Added at 09:02 on 09 February 2021
Iker Pou
Added at 08:07 on 29 July 2021
Dave Graham
Added at 13:11 on 03 November 2022
Richard Simpson
View this post on Instagram

Added at 05:07 on 14 July 2022
Dai Koyamada
Added at 09:07 on 03 July 2021
Dai Koyamada
Added at 11:12 on 16 December 2023
Jan Hojer
Added at 07:02 on 23 February 2024
Adam Pustelnik
Added at 11:12 on 16 December 2023
Ben Cossey
Added at 18:11 on 27 November 2023
Rustam Gelmanov
Added at 11:12 on 16 December 2023
Alex Megos
Added at 10:12 on 16 December 2023
Mélissa Le Nevé
View this post on Instagram

Added at 12:02 on 10 February 2021
Mélissa Le Nevé
View this post on Instagram

Added at 08:07 on 29 July 2021
Buster Martin
Added at 07:11 on 04 November 2022
Buster Martin
View this post on Instagram

Added at 16:10 on 10 October 2022
Moritz Welt
View this post on Instagram

Added at 16:10 on 14 October 2023
Stefano Ghisolfi
Added at 08:02 on 26 February 2024
Stefano Ghisolfi
Added at 18:03 on 18 March 2024
Michał Korban
View this post on Instagram

Added at 06:10 on 03 October 2024
Alex Huber
Added at 19:09 on 22 September 2024

Ascents

29 recorded ascents, including 3 unsuccessful ascents.

Climber Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Wolfgang Güllich Lead | worked 14th Sep 1991
First ascent. 11 sessions.

With this ascent Wolfgang became one of the first people in the world to climb a sport route graded 9a, though at the time he suggested a grade of UIAA XI which translates to 8c+/9a. Famously, he trained specifically for the route by doing single finger campusing.

Ben Moon Lead | did not finish Apr 1992

Ben spent 3 days working the line and 2 days on redpoints. He reached a high point moving left towards the top of the route. He then got injured and was unable to try the line any more. [1]

References

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/ben-moon-british-rock-climbing-legend-interview.html

Alex Adler Lead | worked 9th Sep 1995
Iker Pou Lead | worked 7th Jun 2000
Dave Graham Lead | worked 21st May 2001
Christian Bindhammer Lead | worked 14th May 2003
Richard Simpson Lead | worked 13th Oct 2005

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/B_5YoPZj3Jm/

[2] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/rich-simpson-makes-6th-ascent-of-action-directe.html

[3] https://www.thebmc.co.uk/action-man

Questions arose around whether Rich actually climbed the line and when asked he was unable to produce a belayer or any witnesses.

Markus Bock Lead | worked Between 15th Oct 2005 and 23rd Oct 2005
Dai Koyamada Lead | worked 15th Oct 2005
Kilian Fischhuber Lead | worked 26th Sep 2006
Patxi Usobiaga Lead | worked 24th Oct 2008
Gabriele Moroni Lead | worked 17th Apr 2010
Jan Hojer Lead | worked 22nd May 2010
Piotr Savack Lead | worked 23rd May 2010
9 sessions.
Adam Pustelnik Lead | worked 10th Oct 2010
Felix Knaub Lead | worked Oct 2011
Ben Cossey Lead | did not finish 2012
Rustam Gelmanov Lead | worked 26th Mar 2012
Alex Megos Lead | worked 3rd May 2014
Stefano Carnati Lead | worked 14th Jun 2016
David Firnenburg Lead | worked 29th Oct 2016
Stephan Vogt Lead | worked 4th Apr 2017
Mélissa Le Nevé Lead | worked 21st May 2020
Buster Martin Lead | worked 4th Oct 2022
Dylan Chuat Lead | worked 21st Apr 2023
Moritz Welt Lead | worked 13th Oct 2023
Stefano Ghisolfi Lead | worked Nov 2023
Michał Korban Lead | worked 25th Sep 2024
Alex Huber Lead | did not finish

Alex was able to link the route from after the jump, but was convinced the jump was not possible for someone of his size. [1]

References

[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/7hei30STtvpjEBFqkFPCYi?