Czech traditional sandstone and big wall climbers Tomas Sobotka and Ondra Benes opened a new route in Todra, Morocco graded 8a and over 275 meters long.

The route is in the sector Plage De Mansour, which they climbed with the other two Czechs Jirka Lautner and Petr Horky. They named it SAHA, what means "thank you" in Berber language. They climbed it in RP style and suggested 8a grade of difficulty.
The pitches: 7a(35m), 6b(55m), 7b+(50m), 7b+(50m), 8a(35m), 8a(35 m).

The route was done in 5 days. The teams exchanged in the first ascent in two couples. The climbing speed was about 1,5 pitches a day. Ondra Benes describes the route as technical, that reminds him of the waving bellies of Silbergeier in Ratikon, Alps. The cruxes are on the last two pitches. Ondra Benes flashed the last pitch, that means during the first ascent. The wall is located at the entrance of the Todra Gorge and so the local people created around them the supporting audience drinking their tea all day long. The only two others lines of aid climbing lead in the same wall. The Czechs said, they had gone via the most direct and most difficult line there. The Czech team are still in Morrocco, but we can look forward the photos and detailed story after their return, they promised. 

Thank to Ondra Benes for the info; translated by CzechClimbing.com team.

Diary - Benes Ondra (ondra benes)


Ondra Benes and Tomas Sobotka
archive photo by © Lezec.cz