Patxi Usobiaga
Patxi Usobiaga Lakunza (born September 7, 1980), best known as Patxi Usobiaga, is a Spanish professional rock climber, sports climber and boulderer. He is known for winning two Lead Climbing World Cups in a row, and for being the first climber who onsighted an route. Biography. Usobiaga started climbing in Atxarte when he was 10 years old. For four years he was belayed by his father. When he was 15, he climbed his first 8a route, "ConanDax Librarian", in Araotz. When he was 18 he redpointed his first 8b route, "Parva Naturalia", in Araotz. From 1997 to 1999  he participated in youth competitions. In 2000, he started competing at the Lead Climbing World Cup. In 2003 he earned his first gold medal in Edinburgh. When he was 26 he earned his first Lead climbing World Cup. Next year, he won his second one. Due to these outstanding achievements he was awarded the Salewa Rock Award in 2007. In 2009 he won the Lead Climbing World Championships in Qinghai (CHN). At the end of 2009 he underwent a shoulder surgery and after three months of rehabilitative therapy he started training again. In June 2010 a car accident caused a  painful slipped disk. In 2011, he announced his retirement from competitions. He climbed 267 routes graded between 8a and 9a+, 158 of which were onsighted. He was the first climber who onsighted a 8c+ route ("Bizi Euskaraz", in Etxauri, 2007). Rock climbing. Number of ascended routes: