Hard men in Malta

Have you ever climbed in Malta? No?! Why should I? “There can`t be any interesting routes”, you say?! – well you should check it out and give it a try, because big things are happening on this small island while you are reading!

Climbing in Malta is expanding in such way, that it is quite hard to catch up with all the news going all around the island, therefore it`s no wonder that I was caught not knowing about one fantastic first ascent one of the hardest routes on the Maltese islands, which by the way there are so far 2 or 3!

However, I should first tell you about all the things that have been happening, in order to give you the picture! So, it could have been some time last year or so, you should have heard about climbing in Malta and its growing potential not only to trad climbers, as it used to be known, but also to pure sport climbers! And now this small island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea is experiencing a climbing and bolting boom! Literally with decades of people from all the ends of Europe come to the island with mainly, but not only, one aim and that is to climb the fantastic limestone of different shapes and colors. Moreover, Jeffrey Cammilleri, Sergio Diaz Guerra Cruz, Rael Saez, Stevie Haston, members of the Malta Climbing Club, all these people, so passionate about climbing, are climbing and bolting new routes in order to fully establish new, all-year-climbing place and to be honest - they are doing very well.

Meanwhile Stevie Haston, a 55 years old english hardcore climber with roots on sister island Gozo, is setting up new routes in Gozo almost daily and climbs roofs and 8bs, in Malta group of „Fanatics“ and amongst them 2 hardest men: Jeffrey Camilleri and Rael Saez who, one would say  and wouldn't be lying, are the core of the hard climbing in Malta and who are establishing and doing first ascents on these routes. Bolting more and more new routes not only for themselves but also for following generations of climbers not to mention the pure joy they have from doing it !

I’ve met and first climbed with Rael back in Sicily, where I was belaying him on 7c+ and it was inspirational in so many ways, like watching pro climbers in movies, but this was much better. It is something that really drives you up the line, it takes over and you push harder and harder when hearing his voice telling you „ Common Ondra! You can do it! Venga, Venga! And it was then when I told myself : „ You have to climb with him more“, and every opportunity I encountered, I used! 

And that brings us to Mellieha cave at the end of February.

It was a sunny day not too hot, not too cold and Rael called me to join him climbing, obviously I didn`t say no! After 35 minutes we were walking dow to Mellieha cave, which is in my own words a hole in the ground! You wouldn’t probably find it, even if you wanted, because it is so hidden in a way that you will notice it when you are standing just right next to it! It was my second time there so I knew what to expect! Sustained and constant overhanging walls and a huge roof with beautiful tufas of different shapes hanging from the top that`s what Mellieha cave is. A front part of a shoe profile cave with easier overhanging lines on the sides and big overhang and roof cover with system of tufas in the middle! In one word mind blowing !

We didn’t hesitate, we took off our jackets, put on our harnesses, shoes and we set off ! „6C to start with baby, just to warm up“, said Rael. “Jesus christ what for”???, I ask myself ( 6c is kind of my leading limit :-D). Well after some time and finishing the line I was shown what was the warm up for! „November Rain, mate“, he told me. The hardest sport route in Malta of a grade F8b. The whole line comprises of a big about 60° overhanging start on tufas followed by 3 boulder problems in the roof, where the strength not only of your fingers and arms but also of your mind will be put to a test!  

Bit more details about the route itself – Rael bolted it for his birthday in November 2012. On that day there was a huge storm with hails and loads of lightnings, it literally looked like the end of the world. Everyone, who was there that day, was most probably either hanging in the roof, drilling holes, putting in expansion bolts or climbing and watching lightnings illuminating the cave. Scary a bit :-) but definitely fun! 

Rael takes a deep breath and takes off....his moves are smooth, it all looks like some dance with the rock than climbing. He gets over the first tufas quite easily and aims for the first boulder problem already in the roof. Watching him makes me want to try it ! One move after another , short ones than longer reaches, knee bars , he gets over the first boulder and goes in the no hand rest.

He rests a bit and sets off for a few meters followed by second boulder problem. However when turning his hand slips and he falls …...A hailstorm of rude words!!! Doesn't matter he continues! I witnessing another set of very powerful moves with growling. As he reaches the second boulder problem another sort of dance with the rock starts

Locking with knees, turning his body to allow himself better reach. Rauuugh....he grabs a massive tufa with an open hand grab and goes again into a no hand rest locked with his knees. While chalking up his hands, he breaths and tells me that the hardest part is coming now....( my head unbelievably shakes together with words ahaa coming out of my mouth). More hard moves on tufas and small holds follow. 

When he reaches the point where the roof changes into a vertical wall and the route finishes, you can hear the exhaustion after this loong roof climb! “That was bloody crazy man”, I tell him. He looks really exhausted! I go for one more route as well and then we're off to the “civilization” as we both have to work.

For couple of weeks, since we went climbing to the cave, I haven't hear from Rael. „Incoming call Rael“, says my phone and I answer it! Hey man, greets me Rael. And we start a conversation which consist of my experience with writing for magazines and him wanting me to write something. I ask what it is supposed to be?! He tells me he made “IT” and wants me to write about it. My mind gets stuck thinking a bit what the “IT” stands for and then realizes.....November Rain! „Shit man“, I congratulate him in a strange way and we agree on a meeting, where he tells me more.

In Rael's own words:

“My fingers are still sweating when logging this ascent...don't know what happened but I bloody managed. Totally unexpected..till the very ground of the cave..then threw the rope down and lied on the ground trying to digest what had just happened..I thought my body was exploding after the climb..felt even sick..had to rush to the bathroom and threw up..:). Funny when Fanatic called saying that his car wasn't working..I just told him: man, guess what?? I just managed the route!!!..didn't realize until few seconds later what he had just told me haha. So first 8b (or somewhere around) in Malta, the hardest route ever sent here in this country. Bolted in the middle of a crazy storm in the cave with the rest of fanatics, the day of my b-day on 15th November.. It was incredible to be there and see the cave being illuminated with the thunder strikes and the heavy rain falling upon us! everyone screaming..such wild atmosphere.. Seems sport climbing here is going forward! Now we'll have to bolt another one and harder I guess.”  :)

And that's it! First F8b in Malta! First ascent done, now waiting for someone to repeat it and confirm the grade! Maybe it can be you :-) So get up, pack your gear, book the flight and come to CLIMB!