Raboutou’s Summer Wrap-Up

Earlier this summer DPM reported on Brooke Raboutou’s send of Bad Attitude (8a+) and Robyn and Shawn’s sends of Quick n’ Toast (8b+).  Now the summer trip is over and DPM has a wrap up of the Team ABC crushers’ summer abroad.

Shawn Raboutou.  Photo: Magnus Midtboe

13-year-old Shawn Raboutou has done his first 8c (5.14b) with Welcome to Tijuana in Rodellar.  According to fellow US climber Josh Levin, Shawn’s extremely impressive send was rewarded with a T-shirt, plaque, and small ceremony from the owner of the climbing refugio there.  Shawn spent much of his time this year trying different 8c’s and 8c+’s before finding, working, and sending Welcome To Tijuana, but when he wasn’t in project mode he also sent another 8b and did an 8a+ second go.

Shawn on Welcome to Tijuana (5.14b)  Photo: Magnus Midtboe

Shawn's sister Brooke Raboutou (age 10) also focused on harder projects this year, and though she came away short from her first 8b+ (5.14a), she managed a second 8a+ (Esau directa) as well as an 8a (A Cravita), another 7c+ (Kings of Metals L1), and several second-go 7c’s.

Mom Robyn said she’s finally struggling to keep up with the kids but, between supporting them and pushing herself on her own 8c projects, she sent two 8a’s (1 onsight and 1 flash), two 8a+’s, and an 8b.

Finally, Team ABC members Isabelle Goodacre and Margo Hayes visited for long enough for both to send Bad Attitude (8a+) and Margo to send her second 7c+ and first 8a.

-Jackie Hueftle