24 Apr Piolet d’Or

After the incredible result of last year, this one are Ueli Steck whit Annapurna ( 8071m ) solo ascent and Raphael Slawinski and Ian Welsted whit K6 West the winners of 2014 Piolet d’Or.
After 1970 and the ascension of the team of Chris Bonington, the south face of Annapurna was the scene of high-level climbing in alpine style. We have attempted, among others, the French Pierre Beghin and Jean -Christophe Lafaille , with the death of the first during a terrible descent from 7,300 meters. The Swiss Ueli Steck opened a new route, legendary, climbing during the night to take advantage of the good conditions of refreezing. He accomplished the feat alone, on 8 and 9 October, completing all in 28 hours.

The K6 West is one of the jewels that shine above the glacier Charakusa. Famous mountaineers like Steve House, Marko Prezelj or Vince Anderson tried to climb it before. Canadians Raphael Slawinski and Ian Welsted who first had to cross a dangerous stretch of ice at the foot of the north-west wall, and then finding a line quite sure on the right, arriving at the west ridge. After five days of climbing, July 29 they reached the top.
The Career Piolets d’Or was created to reward a career where the spirit has inspired the following generations, in the sense of criteria set down by the convention.  In 2009, the first was given to Walter Bonatti followed by Reinhold Messner 2010, Doug Scott 2011, Robert Paragot 2012 and Kurt Diemberger 2013. This year the winner is John Roskelley.
The jury of this edition was chaired by George Lowe and composed by Catherine Destivelle, Karin Steinbach, Sungmuk Lim, Erri De Luca and Denis Urubko.
source pioletsdor.com