25 Aug Third onsigth of Divine Providence – Mont Blanc
Since 1990, thanks to a cooperation of the French Alpine Club and the High mountain Group were setted in France "GEAN", "groupes Excellence Garçons et Filles" or "Alpinism Excellence Groups of youngs".
Every two years, the selected youngs (both male and female) follow stages and carried out a project, tutored by alpinists of international fame as well as Alpine Guides: for 2008\2009 Stéphane Benoîst, Patrick Pessi and Christophe Moulin.
The results are extraordinary.
In August GEAN was on stage on Chamonix and the achievements – said Christophe Moulin – were outstanding. Among other excellent ascents, a team of 3 youth with Stéphane Benoist carried out the third repeat of the mytique route Divine Providence 7b+. This is the first time that – in a team of 4 climbers – all climbed the route flash or onsight
The route, 900m on Grand Pilier d’Angle Mont Blanc, was installed on 1984 by Gabarrou and Marsigny and climbed almost free (3 aid points in a very wet section) by Thierry “Turbo” Renault and Alain Ghersen on 1990.
Swiss climbers Denis Burdet and Nicolas Zambetti did the first onsight (27 28 July 2002), while the second was signed by the slovenian Andrej Grmovsek and Marko Lukic on 2003.
Two others youngs of GEAN onsigthed "Les intouchables" on Trident du Tacul (the first time for a female climber, Chloé Graftiaux ): the route – 250 m 7b+ was – first climbed by M. Piola and H. Bouvard on 1992.
Then in the remote cirque of Freney, Pointe des Aigles and Pylone Centrale du Freney for the female climbers, and Voie Lafaille on Pilier d’Angle (900 m up to 4 243 m), Un autre monde – ED +) for a team of climbers with Patrice Glairon-Rappaz
In Italy, we should meditate about the difference of strategies and goals between France and our mountaneering club, CAI. If strategies and given resources are so different, different are the results – in crag as well as in high mountain – achieved by the French alpinism.
Bravo!
Divine Providence – Up 2005
Source: kairn
ms
