After returning from Font, I finally managed to send one of my long-standing projects in Finland! It’s been a multi-year epic with this project. After cleaning it, it took me several days to figure out the final sequence that I used, which involves a very precise heelhook move to a two finger pinch at my absolute full extension. I was very close to climbing it last year, but I got a minor finger injury on it just before flying out to Colorado. When I got back from the states, I got to try it one day and fell from the last move. Then the snow came and made it impossible to try it before spring. The typical rainy weather in Finland made it very hard to work on it, especially with all my travels. After falling from the last move a few times again and almost breaking two ribs on one of the falls, the next thing was the access issues. Driving on the private road wasn’t allowed anymore. That wasn’t going to stop me though, so now you have to bike in a few kilometers with all the gear.

Circus Elephant Syndrome, 8B+

All in all, I think this project took me more time than what I’ve spent on any problem before and it’s been a battle on all fronts to get this one done so I am very happy to have finally climbed it! With the Sisu project, this was one of the last remaining projects that I have near my home and it’s been waiting for a first ascent for a long time.

It’s a great problem on bulletproof granite and climbs extremely well. Every move requires lots of body tension and shoulder strength. It climbs very differently than granite usually does and it is more like a sandstone problem style-wise. I decided to name it Circus Elephant Syndrome and for the grade I’m proposing hard 8B+. In my opinion 8B+ is HARD and I intend to keep my line with the 8C grade, which I still view as cutting-edge until something a notch above the current bouldering level gets climbed. However, the way 8C has been shifting again lately, this grade may not correspond too well. Either way, Circus Elephant Syndrome is likely the hardest boulder problem in Finland and a world-class shoulder strength testpiece! I’m very psyched that I finally got it done!!!