Climbing
Shauna Coxsey test climbs the route for Red Bull Dual Ascent
British climber Shauna Coxsey, along with Swiss legend Pesche Wüthrich, get a taste of the action before Red Bull Dual Ascent goes down – err, up.
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Red Bull Dual Ascent gathers together some of the world's best competition climbers scale a 180m tall, six-section multi-pitch manmade climb, bolted onto the side of the massive Verzasca Dam. Pulling plastic has never been this epic.
The first edition took place in 2022 with the 2023 edition taking place in November this year between November 1-4. For more details on the 2023 event go here. Ahead of that first edition, Shauna Coxsey, 29, two-time overall World Cup winner in bouldering from England, and Swiss climbing legend Pesche Wüthrich, 58, got to test the Dual Ascent route at the Verzasca Dam. Read all about Coxsey's experience of the 2022 Dual Ascent route below.
Shauna Coxsey tests out the Red Bull Dual Ascent course
© True Color Films/Red Bull Content Pool
First impressions
"Wow," said Coxsey when she saw the route for the first time. With 180m of the 220-metre-high concrete wall and two parallel routes in six colours, this is multi-pitch climbing in a completely new dimension with levels of difficulty up to 8a. The route was designed by a team of experts headed by Simon Margon, who was already involved in another no less insane project: 360 Ascent.
At first, she thought the height would scare her, before declaring: "But then I was so looking forward to climbing that I didn't even think about being scared anymore.”
The experience and skill of climbing partner Wüthrich, who lived with his family in Ticino from 1998 to 2012 and opened up about 1,000 different routes in the climbing mecca, certainly contributed to this. He took over the lead for the first 25m pitch, resting at each belay point before they moved not quite as fast as planned, but steadily – the two tiny figures came closer and closer to the top of the dam.
A comeback for Shauna
Wüthrich found the fourth pitch, the yellow-black one named Rockcity, the most difficult. “It's very long and very technical, but also very varied,” he says. “From a purely athletic point of view, however, the last pitch is the most demanding.”
Rockcity was also a challenge for Coxsey. "The sun made the black handles so hot that we could hardly touch them!”, she said. Apart from that, the route was “tough but great” for the Brit. She continues: "I had so much fun with all the different moves – and the teamwork with Pesche was also great. He really made it cool – I've never climbed multi-pitch before, that was a first.”
A daunting challenge for any climber
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The biggest challenge on this route for Wüthrich was the grips, the volume and the modern screw type. “The young competitive climbers certainly have no problem with that. But for my generation, which is used to the fact that there are always small ledges, just like on the rock, it's hard,” he says. "You also have to stand very high and be extremely flexible. For me, as an old-school climber who doesn’t do a lot of tricks anymore, it’s a challenge. And of course – I'm not that flexible anymore.”
But the fact that the duo would manage the six pitches was not a question even for a second. And did we mention, Coxsey just gave birth to a daughter in May? Making her climb at the Verzasca Dam was an impressive comeback.
From the second pitch on, she took over the lead. Wüthrich was impressed: "Although I certainly have more experience on big walls and am more experienced in handling ropes, Shauna is simply better at this type of climbing,” he says. “Reach, which a 1.82m-tall man naturally has more of than a 1.63m-tall woman, does not play a decisive role on the Verzasca Dam. Shauna was able to easily make up for that with strength and athleticism!”
Everyone must be fit and ready
A team effort
© True Color Films/Red Bull Content Pool
So what does the winning team of Red Bull Dual Ascent need to bring with them? "It definitely takes good climbing technique, knowledge of how to load these holds, the ability to read the route and understand what the route setter wanted," says Wüthrich.
In addition, according to the veteran, the physical requirements and good rope technique are of course required. For Coxsey, everything will revolve around speed: “All teams will be fit and ready – so I think it will be a question of speed,” she says. “And of course the rope work and the teamwork has to be right.”
The message is clear: if you want to win Red Bull Dual Ascent, you have to combine the best skills from several climbing disciplines. It’s as simple as that.
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