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+ |
| Notable Partnerships | |
| Bernd Zangerl | |
| 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
33 recorded ascents.
| Year | Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Souvenir | 8A (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1988 |
| 1989 | ||||
| 1990 | ||||
| 1991 | ||||
| 1992 | La Danse des Balrogs | 8B (Boulder worked) | ✓ | Apr 1992 |
| 1993 | Bain de Sang | 9a (Lead worked) | ✓ | Sep 1993 |
| 1994 | E La Nave Va | 8c+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | May 1994 |
| 1995 | Karma | 8A+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1995 |
| Dominator | 8A+ (Boulder worked) | 1995 | ||
|
Controversially, Fred dabbed his spotter on his ascent. |
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| 1996 | Caroline | 7C+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1996 |
| Radja | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1st Mar 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 worked) | ✓ | 1997 |
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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 worked) | ✓ | 1998 |
| La Proue | 8B (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1998 | |
| 1999 | ||||
| 2000 | Oliphant's Dawn | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | Sep 2000 |
[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Dreamtime (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 28th Oct 2000 | |
| 2001 | Spectre | 8B (Boulder worked) | 20th Jan 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 worked) | ✓ | 15th Feb 2001 | |
| 2002 | Black Eagle Assis (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 2002 |
| La Chimère | 9a+ (Lead worked) | 2002 | ||
| Monkey Wedding | 8C (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 20th Aug 2002 | |
| 2003 | Mooiste Meisie | 8B (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 2003 |
| New Base Line | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | Mar 2003 | ||
|
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 worked) | ✓ | Dec 2004 |
| 2005 | Terremer | 8C (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 2005 |
| Entlinge | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 2005 | |
| 2006 | Witness the Fitness | 8C (Boulder worked) | Dec 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 worked) | 2009 | |
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https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Kryptos | 8C (Boulder worked) | Oct 2009 | ||
| 2010 | ||||
| 2011 | Le Boa | 8C (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 2011 |
| 2012 | ||||
| 2013 | ||||
| 2014 | ||||
| 2015 | ||||
| 2016 | ||||
| 2017 | ||||
| 2018 | ||||
| 2019 | Legacy | 9a (Lead worked) | 13th Sep 2019 | |
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Second ascent. |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Chimère | 9a+ (Lead worked) | 2002 | ||
| Bain de Sang | 9a (Lead worked) | ✓ | Sep 1993 | |
| Legacy | 9a (Lead worked) | 13th Sep 2019 | ||
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Second ascent. |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monkey Wedding | 8C (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 20th Aug 2002 | 8B+ |
| Terremer | 8C (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 2005 | |
| Le Boa | 8C (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 2011 | |
| Witness the Fitness | 8C (Boulder worked) | Dec 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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| Kryptos | 8C (Boulder worked) | Oct 2009 | ||
| Radja | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1st Mar 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 worked) | ✓ | 1998 | |
| Oliphant's Dawn | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | Sep 2000 | |
[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Dreamtime (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 28th Oct 2000 | 8C |
| Esperanza | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 15th Feb 2001 | |
| Black Eagle Assis (pre break) | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 2002 | |
| Entlinge | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 2005 | |
| Amandla | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | ||
| New Base Line | 8B+ (Boulder worked) | Mar 2003 | ||
|
Second ascent. https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| La Danse des Balrogs | 8B (Boulder worked) | ✓ | Apr 1992 | |
| Slashface | 8B (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1997 | |
|
https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/456926684373512 |
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| La Proue | 8B (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1998 | |
| Mooiste Meisie | 8B (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 2003 | |
| Terre de Sienne | 8B (Boulder worked) | ✓ | Dec 2004 | 8C |
| Alma Blanca | 8B (Boulder worked) | ✓ | ||
|
https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/451840591548788 |
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| Spectre | 8B (Boulder worked) | 20th Jan 2001 | ||
|
[https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| The Swarm | 8B (Boulder worked) | 2009 | ||
|
https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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| Ammagamma | 8B (Boulder worked) | |||
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In a session. |
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| Karma | 8A+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1995 | |
| Dominator | 8A+ (Boulder worked) | 1995 | ||
|
Controversially, Fred dabbed his spotter on his ascent. |
||||
| Massive Attack | 8A+ (Boulder flash) | 12th May 2003 | ||
| Souvenir | 8A (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1988 | |
| Team Work | 8A (Boulder worked) | ✓ | ||
| Caroline | 7C+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | 1996 | |
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E La Nave Va | 8c+ (Boulder worked) | ✓ | May 1994 |