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.[1] Next year, he won his second one.[2] 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).[3] 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.[4] 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).[5]
Rankings
Climbing World Cup[6]
Climbing World Championships[7]
Climbing European Championships[7]
Number of medals in the Climbing World Cup
Lead[7]
Usobiaga competing at the Spanish Lead Climbing Championship, 2010
^Vinicio Stefanello (November 23, 2006). planetmountain.com (ed.). "World Cup Lead 2006: vittoria di Patxi Usobiaga e Angela Eiter". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^planetmountain.com, ed. (November 19, 2007). "World Cup Lead 2007 a Usobiaga e Vidmar". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^Vinicio Stefanello (July 7, 2009). planetmountain.com (ed.). "Campionati del mondo di arrampicata – Qinghai (CHN)". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^(in Spanish) Isaac Fernández (February 4, 2011). desnivel.com (ed.). "Patxi Usobiaga, frenado por una lesión". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^ a bplanetmountain.com, ed. (December 13, 2007). "Patxi Usobiaga show: Bizi euskaraz primo 8c+ a vista del mondo". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^IFSC, ed. (August 20, 2019). "World Cup Rankings". Retrieved August 20, 2019.
^ a b cIFSC, ed. (August 20, 2019). "Usobiaga's profile and rankings". Retrieved August 20, 2019.
^planetmountain.com, ed. (November 14, 2017). "Patxi Usobiaga surpasses himself on Pachamama at Oliana". Retrieved November 15, 2017.
^planetmountain.com, ed. (December 4, 2007). "Patxi Usobiaga a spasso su La Rambla, e non solo". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^planetmountain.com, ed. (August 2, 2004). "Patxi Usobiaga ripete Realization 9a+ a Ceuse". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^up-climbing.com, ed. (September 10, 2010). "Usobiaga ripete Punt-X 9a". Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^planetmountain.com, ed. (September 15, 2009). "I limiti dell'arrampicata: il 9a come riscaldamento?". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^Jack Geldard (27 October 2008). ukclimbing.com (ed.). "Patxi Usobiaga repeats Action Directe F9a". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^planetmountain.com, ed. (December 4, 2006). "Usobiaga ripete Begi puntuan, Marin Garcia e Sharma ripetono La Rambla 9a+". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^up-climbing.com, ed. (July 28, 2010). "8c a vista per Patxi Usobiaga". Archived from the original on August 1, 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^Dougald MacDonald. climbing.com (ed.). "Patxi Usobiaga Onsights 5.14b/c". Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^desnivel.com, ed. (July 17, 2008). "Otro 8c a vista para Usobiaga". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^Chris Van Leuven (15 October 2006). ukclimbing.com (ed.). "Usobiaga Onsights Second 8c". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
^desnivel.com, ed. (November 10, 2005). "Patxi Usobiaga, 8c a vista con Gaua". Retrieved January 8, 2012.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Patxi Usobiaga.