Nicolas Favresse
Whether it is a massive big wall in an alpine environement or 2 moves on a small, but tricky boulder or a tune on his guitar, Nico just loves the rock in all its forms. While on summer vacations with his familly, as a teenager, Nico's and his brothers favourite activity was to explore caves along the mediteranean coast. In order to get from one cave to another without swimming, they had to climb above the sea. Soon enough Nico and his bothers traded caving for their new favourite game, deep water soloing.
After attending the university of Freyr (the most important Belgian crag) where he learned and refined his technique on old school, low angle, sandbagged climbs, his world of climbing opened much wider when Nico and Sean Villanueva went to Yosemite. There he discovered his true call : trad, big wall climbing, being a dirt bag and playing music on big walls. Since then Nico has been on a mission travelling around the world looking for his Holly Grail : Virgin Big walls! "For me challenging myself on a climb is just a way to get connected with nature. Climbing brings me to beautiful places, it inspires me to push my limits in climbing but also in music which brings me a unique feeling of connection”
Career highlights :
Big walls :
2004 Free ascents of Freerider El Capitan, Yosemite, California
2005 First ascent of L’appat (5.13+ R), Falls Wall, Yosemite, California
2006 Lost in Translation (5.12+), El Capitan, Yosemite, California
2007 First ascent of Ledgeway to Heaven (5.12+) 1200m , Nafees Cap, and Badal (5-12+) on the west pillar of K7, Charakusa Valley, Pakistan
2008 First ascents of The Secret Passage (5.13c)
2008 First free ascent of the East Face of the Central Tower of Torres Del Paine, via the South African Route, (5.12+) 1200m Patagonia
2009 Ascent of Silbergeier (8b), Ratikon, Switzerland
2009 The Belgarian, 800m 8a A0, Mont Asgard, Baffin Island
2010 First free ascent of Devil’s Brew (5.12+) 850m , Impossible Wall, Upernavick area, Greenland + 5 other new climbs opened in alpine style
2011Free Ascent of Orbayu (8b+/c), Picos de Europa, Spain
2011 Free ascent of Salathé Wall,Yosemte, California
2011 First free ascent in a single push of a combination of Royal Flush and El corazon, 7b, 1300m on the East face of Fitz Roy, Patagonia
2012 First free ascent of Apichavai (8a+), 700m Tuyuren Waterfall Wall, Amuri Tepui, Venezuela
2013 First free ascent of the south Pillar of Kizil Asker 1500m 5-12+ ca 5848m, China
2016 First free ascent of “cocnut connection” 5-12+ 1300m, great sail Peak, Stewart valley, Baffin Island + 6 other big walls opened in alpine style
2017 First free Ascent of El regalo de Mwono, 1200m 8a, East face of Central Tower, Torres del paine, Patagonia
2017 First ascent of “The Eye of Sauron” 400m - 5-13b, Ribbon’s fall, Yosemite, California
Trad :
2008 Second ascent of Cobra Crack (5.14), Squamish, British Columbia, Canada
2013 First ascent of The Recovery Drink (5.14+), Jossingfjord, Norway
2015 First trad Ascent of Ganesh 5.14 in Badami, India
Sport :
2003 Estado critico 9a,
2010 La reina Mora8c+/9a,
2012 Speed with extension 9a,
2013 Vacounamatata 8c+/9a,
2017 “Du vieux dans du neuf" 9a,
Movies:
2004 Yosemite experience
2005 Patagonia dreams
2007 Pakistan project
2008 Asgard Jamming
2010 Vertical sailing
2012 Venezuela jungle jam
2013 China jam
2014 “ Adventures of the dodo” and Dodo’s delight
2016 “Coconut Connection”
2017 “Notes fom the wall” and “Let it Flow”
Nico was awarded with the Golden Piton in 2009, received the Piolet d’Or in 2010, and the Karl Unterkircher Award in 2012.