Fred Nicole
Quick Info ˅
| Nationality: | CH |
| Height: | 180 cm |
| Date of birth: | 21st May 1970 |
| Hardest Boulder (Worked): | 8C |
| Hardest Boulder (Flash): | 8A+ |
| Hardest Sport (Worked): | 9a+ |
| Social Media |
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Fred Nicole is a legend of modern bouldering having established the first 8B with La Danse des Balrogs, the first 8B+ with Radja and many of the earliest 8Cs. He is also notable for some hard sport routes, in particular he established Bain de Sang in 1993 which gets 9a.
He is also notable for developing many now-famous bouldering areas around the world, including Hueco Tanks, Rocklands and many more.
References
[1] Interview with Nicholas Hobley for planetmountain.com, 13th August 2012 https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html
[2] Profile with Black Diamond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X_oq3ZdnmU
[3] Tour de Bloc by Udo Neumann, 2006 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exAhhD0n8QU
[4] Rocklands Origins, 1996 https://vimeo.com/80004515
[5] Interview with PlanetMountain.com, May 2018 https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-bouldering-at-cresciano-and-melloblocco-in-tour-2018.html
Pics + Vids
Slashface (8B, FA)
Alma Blanca (8B, FA)
Dreamtime (pre break) (8B+, FA)
Le Boa (8C, FA)
La Danse des Balrogs (8B, FA)
Radja (8B+, FA)
Ascents
31 recorded ascents.
| Year | Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | La Danse des Balrogs | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | April 1992 |
| 1993 | Bain de Sang | 9a (Lead) | ✓ | September 1993 |
| 1994 | E La Nave Va | 8c+ (Boulder) | ✓ | May 1994 |
| 1995 | Dominator | 8A+ (Boulder) | 1995 | |
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Controversially, Fred dabbed his spotter on his ascent. |
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| Karma | 8A+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1995 | |
| 1996 | Caroline | 7C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1996 |
| Radja | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st March 1996 | |
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With this ascent Fred became the first person in the world to climb 8B+. |
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| 1997 | Slashface | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 1997 |
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https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/456926684373512 |
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| 1998 | La Proue | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 1998 |
| Coeur de Lion | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1998 | |
| 1999 | ||||
| 2000 | Oliphant's Dawn | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | September 2000 |
[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Dreamtime (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 28th October 2000 | |
| 2001 | Spectre | 8B (Boulder) | 20th January 2001 | |
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[https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Esperanza | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 15th February 2001 | |
| 2002 | La Chimère | 9a+ (Lead) | 2002 | |
| Black Eagle Assis (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 2002 | |
| Monkey Wedding | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 20th August 2002 | |
| 2003 | Mooiste Meisie | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 2003 |
| New Base Line | 8B+ (Boulder) | March 2003 | ||
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Second ascent. https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Massive Attack | 8A+ (Boulder Flash) | 12th May 2003 | ||
| 2004 | Terre de Sienne | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | December 2004 |
| 2005 | Terremer | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 2005 |
| Entlinge | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 2005 | |
| 2006 | Witness the Fitness | 8C (Boulder) | December 2006 | |
|
https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2007/01/fred_nicole_repeats_sharmas_witness_the_fitness-32728 |
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| 2007 | ||||
| 2008 | ||||
| 2009 | The Swarm | 8B+ (Boulder) | 2009 | |
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https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| 2010 | ||||
| 2011 | Le Boa | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 2011 |
| 2012 | ||||
| 2013 | ||||
| 2014 | ||||
| 2015 | ||||
| 2016 | ||||
| 2017 | ||||
| 2018 | ||||
| 2019 | Legacy | 9a (Lead) | 13th September 2019 | |
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Second ascent. |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Chimère | 9a+ (Lead) | 2002 | ||
| Bain de Sang | 9a (Lead) | ✓ | September 1993 | |
| Legacy | 9a (Lead) | 13th September 2019 | ||
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Second ascent. |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monkey Wedding | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 20th August 2002 | 8B+ |
| Terremer | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 2005 | |
| Le Boa | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 2011 | |
| Witness the Fitness | 8C (Boulder) | December 2006 | ||
|
https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2007/01/fred_nicole_repeats_sharmas_witness_the_fitness-32728 |
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| Radja | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st March 1996 | |
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With this ascent Fred became the first person in the world to climb 8B+. |
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| Coeur de Lion | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1998 | |
| Oliphant's Dawn | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | September 2000 | |
[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Dreamtime (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 28th October 2000 | 8C |
| Esperanza | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 15th February 2001 | |
| Black Eagle Assis (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 2002 | |
| Entlinge | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 2005 | |
| Amandla | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
| New Base Line | 8B+ (Boulder) | March 2003 | ||
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Second ascent. https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| The Swarm | 8B+ (Boulder) | 2009 | ||
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https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| La Danse des Balrogs | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | April 1992 | |
| Slashface | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 1997 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/456926684373512 |
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| La Proue | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 1998 | |
| Mooiste Meisie | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 2003 | |
| Terre de Sienne | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | December 2004 | 8C |
| Alma Blanca | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
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https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/451840591548788 |
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| Spectre | 8B (Boulder) | 20th January 2001 | ||
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[https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Ammagamma | 8B (Boulder) | |||
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In a session. |
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| Karma | 8A+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1995 | |
| Dominator | 8A+ (Boulder) | 1995 | ||
|
Controversially, Fred dabbed his spotter on his ascent. |
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| Massive Attack | 8A+ (Boulder Flash) | 12th May 2003 | ||
| Team Work | 8A (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
| Caroline | 7C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1996 | |
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E La Nave Va | 8c+ (Boulder) | ✓ | May 1994 |