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Seb Bouin Climbing His Hardest Route of 2025
Earlier this year, Seb Bouin made the first ascent of Vidra la Vida 5.15b/c (9b/+) on the island of Hvar in Croatia. The route is currently the hardest route in the country. Starting with a 5.14d, a crux involving a 360-degree spin follows, which clocks in at around V11. From there, it’s 5.14a/b to the chains. Black Diamond just released a new film detailing Bouin’s FA of Vidra la Vida, which you can watch below. The film will undoubtedly make you long to visit the picturesque island of Hvar.
“When difficulty meets beauty,” said Bouin on Instagram after his send of Vidra la Vida. “So happy to bring this dream line to life. I started the trip with no expectations—no idea what I’d find. Step by step, I uncovered a stunning, inspiring line. It ended up demanding more from me than I first thought. But what an amazing time, surrounded by the incredible vibe of the island. This is one of my proudest additions—without a doubt, in my personal top 5 9b/5.15b routes worldwide.”
“It’s a long, sustained route that really fits my style,” he continued. “As with any endurance challenge, I had to be smart with my tries. Too many burns and my body would be completely wrecked. Staying right on that edge—just above the fatigue—was key. Mentally, it got tough. The heat was brutal at times, and I started to feel drained. I even thought about giving up after falling on the final jug. But then a cool north wind rolled in and gave me just enough fire to push through and finish the job.”
After FAing Vidra la Vida, Bouin bolted a new project in the Stiniva cave on what he referred to as a rest day. Twenty metres long and 50 degrees overhanging, the route moves through the steepest part of the cave up tufa pinches. After completing the line on the last go of his final day of the trip, Bouin named the route The White Snake and gave it a grade of 5.14d. “What a way to wrap up this amazing trip in Croatia” he said via Instagram. “A truly memorable way to end this beautiful chapter on Hvar Island,” he added.
Bouin is one of the world’s most accomplished sport climbers. In April 2022, he made the first ascent of his hardest route to date, DNA, which took him over 150 days of effort to complete. In November last year, he opened Wolf Kingdom 5.15c. He has several hard repeats to his name, including Alex Megos’ Bibliographie 5.15c and Adam Ondra’s Change 5.15b/c and Move 5.15b/c.
Seb Bouin Sending Vidra la Vida 5.15b/c
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