2026 – Rifugio di Barbara – Italy – by Elias Iagnemma – proposed: 9a+/V18
In November 2025, Italian climber Elias Iagnemma completed a long-term project at Rifugio Barbara in Val Pellice, Italy. He named the line Exodia and proposed a grade of 9A+ (V18). If confirmed by future repetitions, it will represent the highest numerical difficulty rating assigned to a boulder problem to date.
Origin and Development Timeframe
The line sits on a 60-degree overhanging boulder and was originally found by Christian Core, who established Gioia (8c+/V16) in the same country in 2008.
Iagnemma began projecting the line in June 2021. The first ascent required 4.5 years of intermittent projecting and a total of 211 climbing sessions.
Route Structure and Breakdown
Exodia is an 8-meter power-endurance line consisting of approximately 25 hand moves. Iagnemma partitioned the problem into three distinct technical phases:
- Section 1 (8B+ / V14): A highly physical opening sequence on steep terrain.
- The Rest: A hands-free, inverted double kneebar position that allows the climber to reduce forearm pump before entering the upper wall.
- Section 2 (8C+ / V16): A low-percentage, high-power following the rest.
Grading Context and Relative Effort
To contextualize the 9A+ proposal, Iagnemma’s tracking data can be compared against his previous hard ascents. He has established or repeated multiple benchmarks at the 9A (V17) tier:
| Boulder Problem | Location | Grade | Iagnemma’s Effort Tracking |
| Burden of Dreams | Finland | 9A (V17) | 25 days of effort (4th ascent) |
| The Big Slamm | Italy | 9A (V17) | 35 days of effort (First ascent) |
| Exodia | Italy | 9A+ (V18) | 211 separate sessions |
The significant increase in required sessions—nearly six times the investment of his previous 9A first ascent—forms the primary basis for the proposed step up in grade.
Current Status
The line currently awaits a second ascent to confirm or adjust the proposed difficulty. Because the international standard for 9A (V17) has only seen a few verified benchmarks since 2016 (such as Burden of Dreams and Alphane), Exodia represents the first formal proposal for the 9A+ threshold.
Sources
https://gripped.com/news/the-first-ascent-of-the-worlds-first-proposed-v18/#:~:text=Here’s%20the%20story%20behind%20Exodia%2C%20the%20first%2Dever,sat%20unfinished%20for%20years%20after%20his%20attempts.
https://alpineclub.org.nz/news/bouldering-levels#:~:text=Elias%20Iagnemma%2C%20a%2029%20year%20old%20Italian,by%20Iagnemma%20in%2025%20days%20of%20effort.