Patxi Usobiaga

Patxi Usobiaga Lakunza (born September 7, 1980), best known as Patxi Usobiaga, is a Basque Spanish professional rock climber, sports climber and boulderer. He is known for winning two Lead Climbing World Cups in a row, and for being the first-ever climber in history to onsight an 8c+ (5.14c) route.

Patxi Usobiaga Lakunza

Usobiaga in 2009
Personal information
Born	(1980-09-07) September 7, 1980 (age 44) Eibar, Spain
Occupation	Professional rock climber
Height	174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	62 kg (137 lb)
Website	www.patxiusobiaga.com
Climbing career
Type of climber	Sport climbing
Highest grade	Redpoint: 9a+ (5.15a) On-sight: 8c+ (5.14c)
Known for	Winning 2 World Cups and being first who onsighted an 8c+ (5.14c) route
Medal record World Cup Winner 2006 Lead Winner 2007 Lead 2009 Lead World Championships 2003 Lead 2005 Lead 2007 Lead 2009 Lead European Championships 2008 Lead
Updated on October 31, 2017

Biography

Usobiaga started climbing in Atxarte when he was 10 years old. For four years he was belayed by his father. When he was 15, he climbed his first 8a route, ConanDax Librarian, in Araotz. When he was 18 he redpointed his first 8b route, Parva Naturalia, in Araotz.

From 1997 to 1999 he participated in youth competitions. In 2000, he started competing at the Lead Climbing World Cup. In 2003 he earned his first gold medal in Edinburgh. When he was 26 he earned his first Lead climbing World Cup.^[1] Next year, he won his second one.^[2] Due to these outstanding achievements he was awarded the Salewa Rock Award in 2007.

In 2009 he won the Lead Climbing World Championships in Qinghai (CHN).^[3] At the end of 2009 he underwent a shoulder surgery and after three months of rehabilitative therapy he started training again.

In June 2010 a car accident caused a painful slipped disk.^[4] In 2011, he announced his retirement from competitions.

He climbed 267 routes graded between 8a and 9a+, 158 of which were onsighted. He was the first climber who onsighted a 8c+ route (Bizi Euskaraz, in Etxauri, 2007).^[5]

Rankings

See also: Best IFSC results

Climbing World Cup^[6]

	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Lead	67	4	5	6	1	1	4	2	4

Climbing World Championships^[7]

	1999	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009
Lead	61	49	2	2	2	1
Bouldering	-	-	-	-	-	21

Climbing European Championships^[7]

	2002	2004	2006	2008	2010
Lead	20	9	38	1	6

Number of medals in the Climbing World Cup

Lead^[7]

Season	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
2003	1	1		2
2004			2	2
2005		1	1	2
2006	1	4	1	6
2007	1	3	1	5
2008	1		1	2
2009	1	3		4
2010	1	1		2
Total	6	13	6	25

Usobiaga competing at the Spanish Lead Climbing Championship, 2010

Rock climbing

Number of ascended routes:

• 4 9a+ (5.15a)
• 14 9a (5.14d)
• 31 8c+ (5.14c) (1 of which onsighted)
• 42 8c (5.14b) (7 of which onsighted)
• 87 8b (5.13d) and 8b+ (68 of which onsighted)

Redpointed routes

9a+ (5.15a):

• Pachamama – Oliana (ESP) – November 10, 2017^[8]
• La novena enmienda – Santa Linya (ESP) – December 3, 2007
• La Rambla – Siurana (ESP) – November 22, 2007 – Fifth ascent^[9]
• Realization – Céüse (FRA) – July 29, 2004 – Third ascent^[10]

9a (5.14d):

• PuntX – Gorges du Loup (FRA) – September 10, 2010^[11]
• Hades – Nassereith (AUT) – August 23, 2009 – Redpointed on second attempt. First ascent by Andreas Bindhammer, 2008^[12]
• Action directe – Frankenjura (DEU) – October 24, 2008 – Eleventh ascent^[13]
• Nice to eat you – Pierrot beach (FRA) – July 22, 2008 – Second ascent. First ascent by Mike Fussilier
• Fabela Pa La Enmienda – Santa Linya (ESP) – March 22, 2008
• Mendeku – Egino (ESP) – December 16, 2007 – Second ascent. First ascent by Iker Pou
• Fuck The system – Santa Linya (ESP) – December 9, 2007 – First ascent
• Esclatamasters – Perles [ca] (ESP) – December 7, 2007 – Third ascent. First ascent by Ramón Julián Puigblanqué
• Faxismoaren txontxogiloak – Etxauri (ESP) – December 22, 2007 – First ascent
• Begi Puntuan – Etxauri (ESP) – December 1, 2006 – First ascent^[14]
• Kinematix – Gorges du Loup (FRA) – June 14, 2006
• Psikoterapia – Valdegobia (ESP) – July 8, 2004 – First ascent
• Iñi Ameriketan – Baltzola (ESP) – April 1, 2003
• Il Domani – Baltzola (ESP) – March 21, 2003 – First ascent

Onsighted routes

8c+ (5.14c):

• Bizi Euskaraz – Etxauri (ESP) – December 11, 2007 – First ascent and first-ever 8c+ onsight in history. Project by Ekaitz Maiz.^[5]

8c (5.14b):

• Absinth – Sparchen (AUT) – July 25, 2010^[15]
• Nuska – Baltzola (ESP) – August 1, 2008
• Home sweet home – Pierrot Beach (FRA) – July 20, 2008^[16]
• Omerta – Urnersee (CHE) – July 15, 2008^[17]
• Mosca cullonera – Montsant (ESP) – November 30, 2007
• Pata negra – Rodellar (Bierge, (ESP) – October 7, 2006^[18]
• Gaua – Lezain (ESP) – October 10, 2005^[19]

See also

• List of grade milestones in rock climbing
• History of rock climbing
• Rankings of most career IFSC gold medals