Fred Nicole
Quick Info ˅
| Nationality: | CH |
| Height: | 180 cm |
| Date of birth: | 21 May 1970 |
| Hardest Boulder (Worked): | 8C |
| 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
Pics + Vids
Slashface (8B, FA)
Alma Blanca (8B, FA)
Le Boa (8C, FA)
La Danse des Balrogs (8B, FA)
Radja (8B+, FA)
Ascents
30 recorded ascents.
| Year | Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | La Danse des Balrogs | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1992 (approx) |
| 1993 | Bain de Sang | 9a (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Sep 1993 (approx) |
| 1994 | ||||
| 1995 | Dominator | 8A+ (Boulder) | 01 Jan 1995 (approx) | |
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Controversially, Fred dabbed his spotter on his ascent. |
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| Karma | 8A+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1995 (approx) | |
| 1996 | Caroline | 7C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1996 (approx) |
| Radja | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Mar 1996 (approx) | |
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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) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1997 (approx) |
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https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/456926684373512 |
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| 1998 | Coeur de Lion | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1998 (approx) |
| La Proue | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1998 (approx) | |
| 1999 | ||||
| 2000 | Oliphant's Dawn | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Sep 2000 (approx) |
[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Dreamtime (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 28 Oct 2000 | |
| 2001 | Spectre | 8B (Boulder) | 20 Jan 2001 (approx) | |
| 2002 | La Chimère | 9a+ (Lead) | 01 Jan 2002 (approx) | |
| Black Eagle Assis (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2002 (approx) | |
| Monkey Wedding | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2002 (approx) | |
| 2003 | Mooiste Meisie | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2003 (approx) |
| New Base Line | 8B+ (Boulder) | 01 Mar 2003 (approx) | ||
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Second ascent. |
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| 2004 | Terre de Sienne | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Dec 2004 (approx) |
| 2005 | Terremer | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2005 (approx) |
| Entlinge | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2005 (approx) | |
| 2006 | Witness the Fitness | 8C (Boulder) | 01 Dec 2006 (approx) | |
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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) | 01 Jan 2009 (approx) | |
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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) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2011 (approx) |
| 2012 | ||||
| 2013 | ||||
| 2014 | ||||
| 2015 | ||||
| 2016 | ||||
| 2017 | ||||
| 2018 | ||||
| 2019 | Legacy | 9a (Lead) | 13 Sep 2019 | |
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Second ascent. |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Chimère | 9a+ (Lead) | 01 Jan 2002 (approx) | ||
| Bain de Sang | 9a (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Sep 1993 (approx) | |
| Legacy | 9a (Lead) | 13 Sep 2019 | ||
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Second ascent. |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monkey Wedding | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2002 (approx) | |
| Terremer | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2005 (approx) | |
| Le Boa | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2011 (approx) | |
| Witness the Fitness | 8C (Boulder) | 01 Dec 2006 (approx) | ||
|
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) | ✓ | 01 Mar 1996 (approx) | |
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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) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1998 (approx) | |
| Oliphant's Dawn | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Sep 2000 (approx) | |
[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Dreamtime (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 28 Oct 2000 | 8C |
| Black Eagle Assis (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2002 (approx) | |
| Entlinge | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2005 (approx) | |
| Esperanza | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
| New Base Line | 8B+ (Boulder) | 01 Mar 2003 (approx) | ||
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Second ascent. |
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| The Swarm | 8B+ (Boulder) | 01 Jan 2009 (approx) | ||
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https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| New Base Line | 8B+ (Boulder) | |||
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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) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1992 (approx) | |
| Slashface | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1997 (approx) | |
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https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/456926684373512 |
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| La Proue | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1998 (approx) | |
| Mooiste Meisie | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2003 (approx) | |
| Terre de Sienne | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Dec 2004 (approx) | 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) | 20 Jan 2001 (approx) | ||
| Spectre | 8B (Boulder) | |||
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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) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1995 (approx) | |
| Dominator | 8A+ (Boulder) | 01 Jan 1995 (approx) | ||
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Controversially, Fred dabbed his spotter on his ascent. |
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| Team Work | 8A (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
| Caroline | 7C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1996 (approx) | |
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
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