Jean-Baptiste Tribout

Jean-Baptiste Tribout, or J.B. Tribout (born 14 December 1961) is a French rock climber and competition climber.

Climbing history Tribout started climbing at age seven in Fontainebleau, France with his grandfather, a mountaineer, and also joined the youth section of the French Alpine Club. There he met other young climbers such as Catherine Destivelle. In 1982, he climbed his first -graded sport climbing route, Fritz the Cat, at Saussois, and in 1985 climbed his first -graded route, Les braves gens, in the Verdon Gorge.

Between 1986 and 1998, he participated in international competition climbing events, finishing third twice and fourth twice in the final standings of the World Cup. In 2008, aged 47, twelve years after he had last climbed an -graded climb, he climbed two 8c routes.

Competition Record

World Cup 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 4 ? 4 3 16 3 6 19

World Championship 1991 1993 1995 1997 35 32 - 4

European Championship 1992 1996 17 16

Rock Master 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 3 ? 2 2 ? 9

Notable Ascents The East Face of Monkey Face at Smith Rock containing Just do it, 8c+ / 5.14c, established by Tribout in 1992 and at the time considered the hardest route in the USA.

This ascent is the subject of controversy as Tribout sent it after American climber Alan Watts had bolted it. Climber Tommy Caldwell later recounted this controversy in his book, The Push. Furthermore, Tribout's use of a chisel to create better holds inflamed local climbing ethics at the time and to this day.

8c+/5.14c The Connexion - Orgon - 1994 - First ascent (combination of Macumba Club and The Bronx) Superplafond - Volx - 1994 - First ascent (combination of the Maginot Line, called by the French Le plafond, and Terminator) Just do it - Smith Rock - 1992 - First ascent

8c/5.14b Intime étrangère - Tournoux - August 4, 2008 Guerre d'usure - Claret - 24 February 2008 - aged 47 Macumba Club - Orgon - 1992 - First ascent Huevos Rancheros - Gache - 1991 - First ascent Maginot Line - Volx - 1990 - after Ben Moon in 1989

8b+/5.14a Les intermutants du spectacle - St Leger - May 16, 2009 Deux cones - Orgon - August 9, 2008 Rollito Sharma - Santa Linya - April 19, 2008 Draconian Devil - Kalymnos - 2006 I am a bad man - Smith Rock - 1991 Cannibal - American Forks - 1990 Cry Freedom - Malham Cove - 1989 - Second ascent Magie Noire - Traverses - 1989 Masse Critique - Cimaï - 1989 - First ascent Revanche - Saussois - 1988 - First ascent White wedding - Smith Rock - 1988 - First ascent La rage de vivre - Buoux - 1987 - Second ascent Le Spectre du surmutant - Buoux - 1987 - First ascent Les spécialistes - Verdon Gorge - 1987 - First ascent To Bolt or not to be - Smith Rock - 1986 - First ascent and first 5.14 in the United States