Seb Bouin makes first ascent of hardest route in Croatia, Vidra La Vida (F9b/+)

• Saturday 7th June 2025

French climber Sébastien Bouin has completed the first ascent of Vidra La Vida (F9b/+), establishing the hardest sport route in Croatia to date. The line is located on the island of Hvar and represents the culmination of a project that began in early May with Seb’s ascent of the first pitch, Vidra (F9a). Less than a month later, the full line – Seb’s main goal – was completed.

Both pitches were initially bolted in part by Klemen Bečan and made possible with additional bolting by Seb, who brought this impressive line to life. The climbing on Vidra La Vida is long, powerful, and uniquely special for the sport. It features a striking crux in the roof section, showcasing modern movement with an unconventional 360° spin – an individual boulder problem in itself, estimated around Font 8A (V11).

 Vidra La Vida stands as a significant addition to Croatia’s growing hard-climbing landscape and sets a new benchmark for difficulty in the country.

Seb had this to say after his ascent: "When difficulty meets beauty. I am 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.”

Clearly very happy with Vidra La Vida, Seb added: This is one of my proudest additions – without a doubt, in my personal top five F9b/5.15b routes worldwide. The first section climbs around F8c+, leading into a crux that bumps it to F9a. Then comes a wild 360 crux, roughly Font 8A/V11 boulder. And to top it all off, there’s a final F8b+/c section – I even fell there during a send attempt.

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. I would like to thank everyone who made it possible, from the local climbers and community, to the friends who shared the days."