View source for Fred Nicole

{{short description|Swiss rock climber}}
{{Infobox climber
| name            = Fred Nicole
| image           = Fred Nicole - Portrait Zoom.png
| alt             = 
| caption         = Fred Nicole, March 2012
| birth_name      = Frédéric Nicole
| birth_date      = {{Birth date and age|1970|5|21|df=y}}
| birth_place     = [[Le Lieu]], Switzerland
| death_date      = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
| death_place     = 
| residence       = 
| education       = 
| occupation      = 
| height          = 180 cm
| weight          = 
| typeofclimber   = {{flatlist|
* [[Sport climbing]]
* [[Bouldering]]}}
| highestgrade    = 
| highestredpoint = {{Climbing grade|9a}}
| highestonsight  = 
| highestboulder  = {{Boulder grade|8C}}
| knownfor        = {{flatlist|
* First to climb boulder grade of {{Boulder grade|8B}}, {{Boulder grade|8B+}}, {{Boulder grade|8C}}
* Second to climb sport grade of {{climbing grade|8c}}
* Third to climb sport grade of {{climbing grade|9a}}
}} 
| firstascents    = {{ubl|''Anaïs et le canabis'' (8c, 1988) | ''Bain de Sang'' (9a, 1993) | ''Danse des Balrogs'' (8B, 1992) | ''Radja'' (8B+, 1996) | ''[[Dreamtime (climb)|Dreamtime]]'' (8B+/C, 2000) | ''Monkey Wedding'' (8C, 2002) | ''Black Eagle SDS'' (8C, 2002) }}
| namedroutes     = 
| majorascents    = 
| website         = 
| retired         = 
| updated         = 8 December 2022
}}
'''Fred Nicole''' (born 21 May 1970) is a Swiss [[rock climber]] known for his [[first ascent]]s of extreme [[sport climbing]] routes and for pioneering the development of standards and techniques in modern [[bouldering]] in the 1990s and early 2000s; he is considered an important climber in the [[history of rock climbing#1990s|history of the sport]].<ref>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/gear/fred-nicole-bouldering-shoe-design/ | title=Fred Nicole on Top-end Bouldering and the Art of Shoe Design | first=Brendan | last=Blanchard | date=18 October 2022 | accessdate=6 December 2022}}</ref><ref name=OUTB>{{cite web | magazine=[[Outside (magazine)|Outside]] | url=https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/12-great-moments-bouldering-history/ | first=Matt | last=Cote | date=28 September 2017 | access-date=1 July 2022 | title=12 Great Moments in Bouldering History}}</ref><ref name=PM1/>

==Climbing career==
[[File:Fred Nicole - Le Boa (8C-V15).png|thumb|Nicole on ''Le Boa'' (8C/V15), Switzerland (March 2012)]]
In 1992, Nicole solved ''La Danse des Balrogs'', in Branson, Switzerland, which is considered the [[List of first ascents (sport climbing)#Solved by men|first-ever ]] {{Boulder grade|8B}} in bouldering history.<ref name=OUTB/><ref name=PM1/><ref name=PM2/>  In 1996, he solved ''Radja'', also in Branson, which is also now considered the [[List of first ascents (sport climbing)#Solved by men|first-ever ]] {{Boulder grade|8B+}} graded boulder in history.<ref name=OUTB/><ref name=PM1/><ref name=PM2/>  

In 2002, he solved ''Monkey Wedding'' and ''Black Eagle SDS'' in [[Rocklands, South Africa]], which is now considered to be the [[List of first ascents (sport climbing)#Solved by men|first-ever ]] {{Boulder grade|8C}} graded boulder in history.<ref name=OUTB/><ref name=PM1/><ref name=PM2/> In 2000, Nicole solved ''[[Dreamtime (climb)|Dreamtime]]'' in [[Cresciano]] in Switzerland, which at the time was considered the first-ever {{Boulder grade|8C}} boulder in history, but its consensus grade was subsequently softened;<ref name=PM1/><ref name=PM2/> the beauty and challenge of ''Dreamtime'' have maintained its status as an important route in bouldering history.<ref name=OUTB/><ref>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain | date=6 July 2017 | accessdate=8 December 2022 | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/dreamtime-at-cresciano-the-boulder-problem-by-fred-nicole-between-dream-and-reality.html | title=Dreamtime at Cresciano, the boulder problem by Fred Nicole between dream and reality}}</ref>

Nicole has also made important first ascents in sport climbing. In 1988, he redpointed the [[List of first ascents (sport climbing)#Redpointed by men|second-ever]] {{climbing grade|8c}} in history with ''Anaïs et le canabis'' in Saint-Loup in Switzerland. In 1993, he redpointed the [[List of first ascents (sport climbing)#Redpointed by men|third-ever]] {{climbing grade|9a}} in history with ''{{ill|Bain de Sang|fr}}'', also in Saint-Loup in Switzerland.<ref name=PM1>{{Cite web |url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=39887 |title=Fred Nicole, the bouldering interview |publisher=planetmountain.com |author=Nicholas Hobley |date=9 August 2012 |accessdate=13 May 2013}}</ref><ref name=PM2>{{Cite web |url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/the-evolution-of-free-climbing.html |title=The evolution of free climbing |publisher=planetmountain.com |first=Maurizio |last=Oviglia |date=23 December 2012 |accessdate=13 May 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | website=UP-Climbing Magazine | url=https://www.up-climbing.com/en/bouldering/news-bouldering/fred-nicole-il-padre-del-boulder-moderno/ | title=Fred Nicole: the father of modern bouldering | first=Alberto |last=Milani | date=22 December 2021| accessdate=8 December 2022}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[John Gill (climber)|John Gill]], a pioneer in modern bouldering 
*[[John Sherman (climber)|John Sherman]], a pioneer in modern bouldering
*[[List of first ascents (sport climbing)|List of grade milestones in rock climbing]]
*[[History of rock climbing]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.climbing.com/news/nicole-adds-two-hueco-testpieces/ VIDEO: Nicole adds two test-pieces, ''Terre de Sienne'' and ''El Techo de los Tres B''], ''[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]]'' (7 April 2005)

* [http://www.climbing.com/news/witness-the-fitness-nicoles-story/ VIDEO: Witness the Fitness, Fred Nicoles Story], ''[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]]'' (5 January 2007)
* [https://www.climbing.com/videos/fred-nicole-why-he-climbs/ VIDEO: Fred Nicole: Why He Climbs], ''[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]]'' (11 April 2013)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicole, Fred}}
[[Category:Swiss rock climbers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Boulder climbers]]
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