18-Year-Old Becomes Youngest Person (Probably!) to Climb V17
We spoke with Samuel Richard a few days after he completed "Soudain Seul," the hardest boulder problem in Fontainebleau, France, and examined its grade.
Just under two months after turning 18, French climber Samuel Richard successfully linked the moves on "Soudain Seul," a sandstone boulder considered to be V17/9A. Richard has described himself as having “basically started climbing from birth” and has mostly been known as a competition climber.
Born into a climbing family with a father who is an instructor, Richard began competing in boulder climbing events across Europe in 2022 at age 14. Since 2024, he has participated in four IFSC World Cups, recently winning bronze in Boulder at Prague and placing 15th at his first World Championship in Seoul.
Conquering Fontainebleau's Hardest Boulder
His next major challenge was "Soudain Seul," also called "The Big Island Sit," recognized as the toughest problem in the bouldering hub of Fontainebleau. The boulder was originally established by Belgian climber Simon Lorenzi.
Before Richard's ascent, four climbers had sent the problem, including Czech legend Adam Ondra. Lorenzi initially proposed a grade of V17 for "Soudain Seul" in 2021, but just over a month later, second ascensionist Nico Pelorson downgraded it to V16.
“Soudain Seul should be V16 because it is essentially a V12 boulder into a V14/15 boulder,” Pelorson explained four years ago. He also expressed concern that confirming an "ultimate grade" might cause an unnecessary surge in V17 boulders.
This nuanced grading reflects ongoing debates about the problem’s difficulty and the challenge of assigning definitive grades at such an elite level.
Summary
Samuel Richard’s ascent of "Soudain Seul" places him among the youngest climbers to tackle such a difficult boulder, blending his competition experience with Fontainebleau’s storied tradition.
Richard says he “basically started climbing from birth.”
His accomplishment marks a significant milestone in modern bouldering history.
Author's Summary
Samuel Richard’s early mastery of Fontainebleau's toughest boulder highlights a rising talent redefining the limits of young climbers worldwide.