V17 Climber Tops Deep Fake V16

On May 16, French climber Camille Coudert made the third ascent of Deep Fake V16 (8C+) in Brione, Switzerland. The problem is a sit start to Fake Pamplemouse, a ultra-popular V11. Deep Fake was opened less than six months ago in December 2024 by British climber Nathan Phillips. He worked the project over a period of six years, taking multiple trips to Brione to try the problem as well as building a replica of the climb to train inside. American Matt Fultz made the second ascent in February.

Coudert took three short trips to send Deep Fake. In early April, he tried the problem and felt close during his first session. He travelled back to the area for four days but didn’t finish it up. On his third trip, he sent it on his first session.

On his 8a.nu page, he said he believed the problem to be hard V15. However, after taking into account the opinions of other climbers who tried the problem and the fact that the line suits his style well, he settled on a grade of soft V16. He also stated that the problem is possibly easier for taller climbers.

Deep Fake is Coudert’s third of the grade. In 2019, he topped his first V16, La Force in Fontainebleau. In February 2023, he sent Simon Lorenzi’s Soudain Seul V17, believing the problem to be soft for the grade. A couple months later he completed his second V16, Le Pied à Coulisse. He has many V14s and V15s on his ticklist, mostly from Fontainebleau.