Jules Marchaland became this summer the second climber in the world to flash an 8C boulder. An exceptional performance. The native of Saint-Jeannet talks about his discipline, climbing gyms in Nice, and his projects.
He achieved a historic performance this summer in Switzerland! Jules Marchaland became the second climber to flash an 8C-rated boulder, one of the hardest difficulties. In this interview, the Nice native talks about his discipline, the evolution of climbing over the past years, and his projects as a professional.
Can you explain your climbing journey so far?
“I have been sport climbing all my life, whether on cliffs or in competitions, and now I’ve decided to shift a bit more towards bouldering. Previously, I didn’t boulder much because I wanted to stay in my original path which was focused on competition. These are two distinct fields that require specific training.
Are they not at all the same types of efforts?
Exactly! Bouldering is quite short with a very intense effort. On average, it lasts between 15 and 90 seconds. Sport climbing, in comparison, lasts between four and ten minutes. In competition, we have a six-minute time limit to respect.
A few weeks ago, you succeeded in flashing an 8C boulder, can you explain what a “flash” is?
It’s a challenge on a boulder; the only guideline for a flash to be validated is to succeed on the first try. You can watch others climb the boulder, talk with others, or watch videos. To succeed in your flash, you need an almost obligatory risk-taking.
Does that make the challenge even more difficult?
It depends; sometimes you flash boulders that are not at your maximum level, and it’s great because you succeeded on the first try. When it’s a boulder near your maximum level, the slightest hesitation adds a bit of extra fatigue that costs you the energy needed to finish it. It’s a lot of analysis and anticipation related to one’s personal characteristics.
In a recent interview, you announced that you left Nice to move to Grenoble a year ago. You criticized the facilities, which were not good enough for high-level climbing in Nice. Can you elaborate on this choice and these remarks?
I moved to Grenoble mainly to train for competitions. It’s very important to have a variety of structures to work on different styles. You can learn a lot more movement patterns if you have many gyms and different routes. My goal is to become a professional climber to make a living from my passion. Unfortunately, in Nice and the region, it’s complicated, but I’m not criticizing, it’s a simple observation. In Grenoble, the entire French team is here with a national training center. The facilities are incredible, with the best setups in France. Again, I’m not criticizing the gyms in Nice, for which I have a huge affection.
You are currently in Norway to climb. Why this choice?
I’m in the northwest of the country. Here, there is a legendary climbing cave in Flatinguer. The special thing is that Adam Ondra, considered the greatest climber of all time, developed climbing here, in a massive granite cave. This type of rock is excellent for climbing because it’s highly compact and has a much better texture than limestone. Usually, granite is only found in mountains. Here, we are by the sea, and as a climber, it’s quite amazing to be here.
How do you view the development of climbing in France? Is it easier to become a professional athlete?
It’s developing well; there are many more gyms in France, fewer in Nice, but still more than before. In some cities, the growth is amazing. People go climbing after work because a session goes quickly. The sport is truly growing. The Olympic Games have facilitated this development. I feel that, thanks to this growth, for us as athletes, it’s much simpler to make a living from it than before.
What are your future projects?
In November, I’m going to the United States for two and a half months to boulder with Simon Lorenzi, a Belgian friend, and Mejdi Schalck, another friend. It’s going to be a fantastic trip, and I’m looking forward to it. Then I have other projects in Europe. I really want to go back to climb in Ticino, a region in Switzerland, because there’s beautiful granite there. I have a project that’s very close to my heart, which is the Céüse crag, in the Hautes Alpes, called Ratstaman Vibrations. It’s my dream route on my favorite crag.”
