Action Directe (climb)

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Sport climbing route in Germany

title: "Action Directe (climb)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["sport-climbing-routes", "1991-in-sport-climbing", "climbing-in-germany"] description: "Sport climbing route in Germany" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_Directe_(climb)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Sport climbing route in Germany ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox climbing route"]

FieldValue
nameAction Directe
photoAction Directe (Waldkopf).JPG
photo_captionThe route follows five bolts that are visible on the photo (quickdraws are clipped to the fourth and fifth bolt) and ends with the belay anchor (not visible).
mapGermany
map_width220
map_captionMap showing the approximate location of Action Directe
locationFrankenjura, Germany
coords
climbing_areaWaldkopf crag,
route_typeSport Climb
vertical_gain15 m
pitches1
rating9a (French), XI (UIAA), or 5.14d (YDS)
bolted_byMilan Sykora
ffaWolfgang Güllich, 14 September 1991.
::

| name = Action Directe | photo = Action Directe (Waldkopf).JPG | photo_caption = The route follows five bolts that are visible on the photo (quickdraws are clipped to the fourth and fifth bolt) and ends with the belay anchor (not visible). | other_name = | map = Germany | map_width = 220 | map_caption = Map showing the approximate location of Action Directe | location = Frankenjura, Germany | coords = | climbing_area = Waldkopf crag, | route_type = Sport Climb | vertical_gain = 15 m | pitches = 1 | rating = 9a (French), XI (UIAA), or 5.14d (YDS) | grade = | bolted_by = Milan Sykora | first_ascent = | ffa = Wolfgang Güllich, 14 September 1991. | fastest_ascent = Action Directe () is a short 15 m overhanging sport climb at the limestone Waldkopf crag in Frankenjura, Germany. When it was first climbed by German climber Wolfgang Güllich in 1991, it became the first climb in the world to have a consensus grade. Action Directe is considered an important route in rock climbing history, and is one of the most attempted climbs at its grade, where it is considered the "benchmark" for the level of 9a. The plyometric training techniques and customized equipment that Güllich used to prepare for the unique physical demands of Action Directe also revolutionized climbing and what could be achieved.

History

A close friend of Güllich, German climber Milan Sykora introduced him to the route that he had been working on at a large limestone prow at the Waldkopf crag, which was akin to an enormous boulder.

Güllich completed the first free ascent on 14 September 1991, after 11 days of working the route – spread over three weeks – and using a 16-move sequence including a direct start with a dynamic jump into a two-finger pocket to redpoint it. Güllich was 30 at the time and had been married just 5 days previously to freeing the route. Four years later the route was repeated when East German climber Alexander Adler fulfilled what he called an "obsession" to repeat the climb.

Subsequent climbers have used a slightly different circa 11 to 13-move sequence to Güllich's original very direct 16-move sequence. At the 25-year anniversary of its first ascent, ten climbers who had completed the route assembled and estimated only Adler had repeated Güllich's exact 16-move sequence, and that all others had crossed slightly right to use a shorter sequence.

Güllich conservatively assigned a UIAA grade of XI, which was between and . Subsequent ascents would verify its grade, which has since described as the "gold standard" or "benchmark" for ; It wasn't for almost another decade, until 2001 when Chris Sharma freed the 35-metre Realization/Biographie at Céüse in France, that a higher consensus grade would be assigned.

On 22 May 2020, French climber Mélissa Le Nevé made the first female free ascent and almost three decades after Güllich's original ascent was still only the 27th person to have climbed it. Two claimed ascents, Richard Simpson (2005), and Said Belhaj (2018), are disputed.

Route

Action Directe is famous for its unique style, involving physically demanding dynamic moves (known as dynos in bouldering) off single-finger pockets in the limestone, and in particular, a powerful initial dynamic jump-start into a two-finger pocket while leaning back at an extreme angle of 45-degrees. The route is short at 15 m and took Güllich only 70-seconds to complete his very direct 16-move sequence; most ascents post the second ascent move rightwards to a more efficient 11 to 13 move sequence described as slightly easier than Güllich's original sequence (although still solidly 9a).

After his 2016 ascent, German climber David Firnenburg described it as: "The initial dyno into the sharp two-finger pocket is followed by a passage with extreme lock-offs on small finger pockets. Then there are technically complicated side holds and pinches with difficult foot changes before you run out with a tricky must-hit crimp at the very end, where I still fell several times before sending".

Legacy

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Action_Directe_11_(9a),_Foto_Jorgos_Megos.JPG" caption="[[Alex Megos]] on Action Directe"] ::

Action Directe has been consistently described as famous, legendary, and iconic in the climbing media,

Güllich had used new intensive training techniques called plyometrics to prepare for the physical demands of the climb, and introduced the climbing world to the "campus board", which would become the new standard for future extreme climbers to build finger strength and develop more dynamic muscle strength.

Some have speculated whether English climber Ben Moon's 1990 ascent of the very short Hubble, with only 4 crux moves, was actually the world's first route. Repeat ascents of Hubble have verified it as being at least the world's first . although Megos caveated himself by noting that grading is not an exact science, and is subject to the climber's own style. In 2022, British climber Buster Martin became only the second climber to have climbed both routes and felt that they were both 9a; he did note that being sponsored by Ben Moon might make people skeptical of his view.

The situation has been compared to the Realization versus Alexander Huber's ** debate on the world's first .

Ascents

Action Directe has been ascended by:

  • 1st Wolfgang Güllich, 14 September 1991

  • 2nd Alexander Adler, 9 September 1995

  • 3rd , 7 June 2000

  • 4th Dave Graham, 21 May 2001

  • 5th , 14 May 2003

  • 6th Richard Simpson, 2005 (disputed)

  • 7th Dai Koyamada, 15 October 2005

  • 8th , 22 October 2005

  • 9th Kilian Fischhuber, September 2006

  • 10th Adam Ondra, 19 May 2008

  • 11th Patxi Usobiaga, 24 October 2008

  • 12th , 17 April 2010

  • 13th Jan Hojer, 22 May 2010

  • 14th , 10 October 2010

  • 15th Felix Knaub, October 2011

  • 16th , 26 March 2012

  • 17th Alexander Megos, 3 May 2014

  • 18th Felix Neumärker, 16 May 2015

  • 19th Julius Westphal, 25 June 2015

  • 20th , 14 June 2016

  • 21st , November 2016

  • 22nd Stephan Vogt, 2017.

  • 23rd Simon Lorenzi, 2017

  • 24th Said Belhaj, 2018 (disputed)

  • 25th , 2 November 2018.

  • 26th Adrian Chmiała, 5 May 2019

  • 27th Mélissa Le Nevé, May 2020; first female

  • 28th Phillip Gaßner, May 2021

  • 29th Buster Martin, October 2022

  • 30th Vojtěch Trojan, April 2023

  • 31st Moritz Welt, October 2023

  • 32nd Stefano Ghisolfi, November 2023

  • 33rd Michał Korban, September 2024

  • 34th Lukáš Mokroluský, March 2025

  • 35th Josef Šindel, July 2025 First female free ascents (FFFA):

  • 1st. Mélissa Le Nevé, May 2020

Filmography

Notes

References

References

  1. 3-475-52747-2, S. 125.
  2. Firnenburg, David. (2016). "Ascending 'Action Directe' in the past and today".
  3. Nicholas Hobley. "Action Directe, Wolfgang Güllich's 25-year-old Frankenjura masterpiece". Planet Mountain.
  4. Oviglia, Maurizio. (23 December 2012). "The evolution of free climbing".
  5. (19 July 2001). "Chris Sharma climbs Biographie!".
  6. Slavsky, Brett. (26 May 2020). "Mélissa Le Nevé Sends Action Directe (9a/5.14d)".
  7. (21 May 2020). "Mélissa Le Nevé Becomes First Woman To Climb "Action Directe" (9a/5.14d)".
  8. Honneger, Jasmine. (26 August 2022). "Use Your Curiosity To Become A Better Climber".
  9. (21 December 2010). "Rich Simpson & The Burden Of Proof".
  10. (21 December 2010). "Rich Simpson - UKC's Position".
  11. (7 December 2019). "Huch accuses Belhaj to lie about Action Direct".
  12. (12 December 2019). "Exclusive: This is what Said Belhaj says in response to the accusations of Hannes Huch".
  13. (21 May 2020). "Mélissa Le Nevé makes first female ascent of Action Directe, Wolfgang Güllich's Frankenjura masterpiece".
  14. (24 December 2020). "This is what Alex Megos says about the dispute over the title "First 9a in the world"".
  15. (3 June 2016). "Alexander Megos climbs Hubble. The Raven Tor interview.".
  16. Hobley, Nicholas. (3 October 2008). "Alexander Huber interview".
  17. Dougald MacDonald. (30 May 2012). "Action Directe: It's a Trade Route". Climbing.com.
  18. "Adam Ondra repeats Action Directe, Frankenjura". Planet Mountain.
  19. (21 May 2014). "Rock Climbing Classics: Episode 2 – Jan Hojer Climbs Action Directe (5.14d)". Rock and Ice.
  20. Wojciech Słowakiewicz. (Oct 10, 2010). "Action Directe by Adam Pustelnik!". Serwis Wspinaczkowy wspinanie.pl.
  21. "Felix Knaub hat "Action directe" (11) im Frankenjura geklettert".
  22. (6 May 2014). "Alexander Megos, the Action Directe Frankenjura interview".
  23. ClimbingNews. (May 26, 2015). "Felix Neumärker Repeats Two 9a's in Three Days".
  24. Toni Lonobile for Wildclimb. (June 27, 2015). "Interview of Julius Westphal!".
  25. (15 June 2016). "Stefano Carnati Sends Action Directe (5.14d), Frankenjura".
  26. [https://www.boulder-bundesliga.de/2017/04/stephan-vogt-klettert-action-direct Stephan Vogt bezwingt »Action Directe«], retrieved 6th April 2017
  27. Quentin Coster. "Simon Lorenzi enchaîne "Action Directe", son premier 9a !".
  28. (6 November 2018). ""Action Directe" (5.14d) by Stefan Scarperi".
  29. (5 May 2019). "Legendarne "Action Directe" dla Adriana Chmiały!".
  30. (11 May 2021). "This Climber Crushes the Notoriously Difficult Action Directe".
  31. Miller, Delaney. (10 November 2022). "Was 'Hubble' or 'Action Directe' the First 9a? Buster Martin Weighs In".
  32. (12 October 2022). "Action Directe 5.14d Sent by Top U.K. Climber".
  33. (29 April 2023). "Vojta Tojan: Action Directe 9a".
  34. (16 October 2023). "Action Directe 5.14d is Repeated for 30th Time".
  35. (4 November 2023). "Stefano Ghisolfi Sends the Legendary Action Directe 5.14d".
  36. (October 2024). "Michał Korban sends Action Directe (9a) in Frankenjura".
  37. Růta, Vojtěch. (2 April 2025). "Lukas Mokrolusky, 17, ticks Action Directe (9a)".
  38. (14 July 2025). "Climber Sends Hard Frankenjura Test-Pieces".

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sport-climbing-routes1991-in-sport-climbingclimbing-in-germany