Ramón Julián Puigblanque (also known as Ramonet, which means little Ramon in Catalan language; born November 9, 1981, in Vic) is a professional Spanish rock climber specializing in competition lead climbing and sport climbing. He won two World Championships, in 2007 and 2011, three European Championships, in 2004 2010 and 2015, and one Lead Climbing World Cup in 2010. From 2001 to 2016, he participated in 16 seasons of the World Cup, winning 21 World Cup stages. He has also redpointed several sport routes above , and made the first free ascent of La Rambla.

Climbing career

Competition climbing

He started climbing when he was a child with his parents and competed in senior categories from 2001. On November 17, 2002, he took his first victory and first podium in the Lead World Cup, in Kranj, which was the last stage of the 2002 season.

In 2004, he won the gold medal at the European Championships in Lecco, Italy.

In 2007, he took his first gold medal at the World Championships in Avilés, Spain, and ended the Lead World Cup in second place.

In 2010, he won his first Lead World Cup title, with three wins and a second place and took his second gold medal at the European Championships in Imst, Austria.

In 2011, he won his second gold medal at the World Championships in Arco, Italy and ended the Lead World Cup in second place.

Rock climbing

On March 8, 2003, he came to wider attention with the first free ascent of La Rambla, in Siurana, one of the first sport climbing routes in history, and the highest grade at that time. In the same year he ended the Lead World Cup in second place with three wins, two seconds and two podiums finishes. The Cup was won by Alexandre Chabot, with five wins and two seconds.

On May 29, 2006, he succeeded in onsighting the sport route Suma O in Cuenca, Spain. Puigblanque became the fourth person ever to onsight at grade 8c after Yuji Hirayama, Tomáš Mrázek and Patxi Usobiaga.

On October 11, 2011, he became the third person ever to onsight a sport climbing route at grade , after Patxi Usobiaga and Adam Ondra, with the onsight of The Crew in Rifle, Colorado.

Rankings

Climbing World Cup

Discipline 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Lead 8 10 2 10 4 5 2 3 5 1 2 2 3 6 6 16 30

Climbing World Championships Youth Discipline 2000Juniors Lead 13

Adult Discipline 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2012 2014 2016 Lead 6 7 10 1 16 1 4 2 9

Climbing European Championships Discipline 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2013 2015 2017 Lead 3 1 30 5 1 2 1 55

Number of medals in the Climbing World Cup Lead Season Gold Silver Bronze Total 2002 1 1 2003 3 2 2 7 2004 0 2005 2 1 1 4 2006 2 1 3 2007 1 3 4 2008 1 1 2 2009 1 1 2010 3 1 4 2011 2 3 2 7 2012 3 1 4 2013 2 1 3 2014 1 1 2015 1 1 2 Total 21 14 8 43

Notable ascents The table below shows the impressively large number of routes graded or more ascended by Puigblanque in about 16 years, from August 10, 2001 (when he redpointed his first 8a) to November 27, 2017. The total number is 1123, of which 13 were at and 345 were onsights, including 1 onsight at .

+ Number of ascended routesGrade Redpoint Flash On-sight Total 13 13 36 36 85 1 86 4 4 134 2 6 142 152 2 22 176 134 2 55 191 100 2 92 194 105 7 169 281 Total 763 15 345 1123

Redpointed routes : Mejorando Imagen - Margalef (ESP) - July 26, 2013 - First ascent. Initially graded 9a, Alex Megos would upgrade the route to 9b after his ascent in April 2021.

: Nit de bruixes - Margalef (ESP) - July 1, 2012 - Second ascent (first ascent by Iker Pou) Catxasa - Santa Linya (ESP) - June 26, 2012 - Second ascent (first ascent by Chris Sharma, 2011) Demencia Senil - Margalef (ESP) - October 11, 2010 - Third ascent (first ascent by Chris Sharma) Papichulo - Oliana (ESP) - March 21, 2009 - Third ascent (first ascent by Chris Sharma) Directa Open your mind - Santa Linya (ESP) - December 8, 2008 - First ascent Realization - Céüse (FRA) - July 28, 2008 - Sixth ascent La Rambla - Siurana (ESP) - March 8, 2003 - First ascent of the extended version of the route

: San Ku Kaï - Entraygues (FRA) - August 4, 2011 Le Cadre Nouvelle Version - Céüse (FRA) - August 3, 2011 Duele la realidad - Oliana (ESP) - November 1, 2010 - First ascent Samfaina - Margalef (ESP) - July 4, 2010 - Second ascent (first ascent by Chris Sharma) Era Vella - Margalef (ESP) - June 5, 2010 - Second ascent (first ascent by Chris Sharma) Supernowa - Vadiello (ESP) - September 12, 2009 El Gran Bellanco - Montanejos (ESP) - May 1, 2009 - First ascent by Pedro Pons, 2003 La Novena enmienda - Santa Linya (ESP) - December 9, 2008 Fabelita r2 - Santa Linya (ESP) - December 9, 2008 Fuck The system - Santa Linya (ESP) - November 29, 2008 Victimas Perez - Margalef (ESP) - October 26, 2008 - First ascent Gancho perfecto - Margalef (ESP) - July 5, 2008 - Second ascent (first ascent by Chris Sharma) El templo del cafe - Alquezar (ESP) - March 24, 2008 M. ALBA - Savassona (ESP) - December 2, 2007 Definicion de resistencia democrata - Terradets (ESP) - November 20, 2007 Esclatamasters - (ESP) - April 17, 2006 - First ascent Estado critico - Siurana (ESP) - March 15, 2004 - First ascent KinematiX - Gorges du Loup (FRA) - August 13, 2002

Onsighted routes : The Crew - Rifle (USA) - October 11, 2011

: Amistad - Rodellar (ESP) - September 11, 2009 Malsoñando - Gandía (ESP) - November 23, 2006 iron man r2 - Rodellar (ESP) - September 10, 2006 Suma O - Cuenca (ESP) - May 29, 2006

See also List of grade milestones in rock climbing History of rock climbing Rankings of most career IFSC gold medals

References

External links

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