PATAGONIA 2020

Sean Villanueva O'Driscoll and Nicolas Favresse

Facts:
- "Historia interminable", South Face of Aguja Poincenot, 800m, 6c
- "Beggars Banket", East Face of Aguja Poincenot, 400m, 7a
- "El Flechazo", Aguja Cerro Standhardt, 850m, 7b, M3, WI5+
 

This year Patagonia climbing season started not that promising due to the challenging weather. Finally the weather turned good and Sean Villanueva and Nico Favresse managed to open three new routes. 

The weather factor plays a key role when climbing in Patagonia. Powerful winds that can throw one off the track, long approaches and lack of organised rescue add to the complexity of the climbs. 

Sean and Nico have done some great climbs together in the past and 2020 found them in the Patagonian mountains in Argentina waiting for a good weather window.  

In February 2020, the duo managed a new route on the lower southeast pillar of Cerro Standhardt, graded 7B, M3 WI5+, 850m. They named the route "El Flechazo", after Cupid's arrow, which can cause more destruction than Exocet, Tomahawk, Scud missiles, referring to names of other routes on Cerro Standhardt.  

Nico and Sean next managed to free-climb a line on the south face of Aguja Poincenot. "Historia interminable", 6c, 800m. Nico had the chance to expand his offwidth climbing technique in the crux of the route, a 30m offwidth crack. 

"Beggars Banket" on east face of Aguja Poincenot was the third route Sean and Nico opened for the season, graded 7a, 400m. They climbed the route on borrowed gear, hence the name they gave it. 

Well done guys! We're glad to support Sean and Nico as LYOFOOD ambassadors!