Gripped Magazine
Jennifer Wood Climbs Her First 5.14d with One of Ondra’s
Jennifer Wood has sent her first 5.14d with Climb for Life in Sicily, a route bolted and first climbed by Adam Ondra in 2012. Named after the Climb For Life bone marrow donation initiative, the route remains the hardest climb in Sicily.
With the ascent, Wood becomes just the third British woman to climb 5.14d, following Emma Twyford’s ascent of Big Bang in 2019 and Hazel Findlay’s ascent of Esclatamàsters in 2022. All three sent 5.14d without first climbing a 5.14c.
“I first tried the route back in 2024 to see if I would enjoy a harder project,” Wood said on 8a.nu. “And to be honest while I was having fun I was nowhere near the level and realised I’d have to get a lot stronger and fitter for the route.” She spent 2025 focusing on steep limestone climbing at Kilnsey, returning to Sicily later that year feeling “much more worthy of being on a route of that grade.”
While Wood admits she didn’t keep an exact tally of attempts, she estimates the project took “6 trips of 6–10 days + the final 4 day one.” The route’s location is in Custonaci, around 20 minutes from San Vito Lo Capo. “I really liked it for a project spot as it was super peaceful so it felt easy to switch off once the climbing was done for the day,” she said. Wood also praised the San Vito Lo Capo retrobolting team for their work maintaining the route and many others across the area.
Ondra on Climb for Life
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