Unless you’re part of a niche group of sport climbers in Eastern Europe, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Michal Mikusinec.
But notoriety doesn’t always indicate quality. And Mikusinec’s case looks like an extreme incidence of that could-be paradox.
The Slovak recently solved Will Bosi’s “La Furia De Jabali”, 9a+, on what he called a short trip with his national team.
The wicked route handles tiny crimps and contorting moves up unrelentingly steep rock. If you’re aware of Bosi’s methodical style and inhuman finger strength, “La Furia” demands both without compromise.
Watching Alexander Megos’ second ascent from 2021, it’s unclear how you would clip most of the bolts on the short route. Watch him skip the third protection point (exposing himself to a ground fall) here.
You can’t find a video of Mikusinec’s send — the route’s third repeat — yet. But in the single still that we’ve seen, it’s clear he’s also skipping bolts in the name of the try-hard.
What we know is it’s Mikusinec’s second lifetime 9a+ route after “Chiroptera,” a mono-intensive Slovakian route that shut down Adam Ondra in 2019.
Last year, Mikusinec reported his repeat of Siurana’s “Jungle Speed” (8c+/9a) with the hashtag “#soft.” Elsewhere, he’s bouldered as hard as 8B+.
For now, there’s not much else to know about a man with some 200 Instagram followers, 11 ascents on 8a.nu, and very strong fingers. His description of the crimps on “La Furia de Jabali?”
“Extra spicy.”
Wonder what seems like “medium” to him.
