Tony Yaniro, born october, 9, 1962, is an American professional rock climber known for his unique climbing style and for being the first person to successfully climb a grade 8a (5.13b) climbing route. He has been considered one of the founders of modern climbing training and has made a number of first ascents of difficult routes in the United States. His training programs have been used to develop climbing fitness and endurance in all types of climbers, and have been used by some of the world's greatest alpinists and high-altitude mountaineers. Tony Yaniro grew up in California and began climbing at the age of 11 when he discovered the sport at a summer camp. In 1974, he free climbed the first pitch of Anti-Jello Crack (5.10a) and would soon gain notoriety for out-climbing veteran climbers at Suicide Rock. At age 16 in 1978, Yaniro free climbed The Pirate (5.12d). Suicide Rock, where Yaniro first gained recognition for his climbing. In 1979, he became the first climber to climb an 8a (5.13b) graded route with Grand Illusion near South Lake Tahoe, considered the hardest climbing route in the world at the time. To summit Grand Illusion, Yaniro worked the route stealthily top-roping, an unusual practice at the time. He then built a replica of the crack at home and trained for the climb, which drew criticism from the climbing community. Over time, the perception of climbing changed. This also helped propel Yaniro into the role of pioneer in the creation and manufacture of holds. Yaniro distinguished himself from traditionalists by his indoor training and intensive preparation before his climbs, challenging the traditional climbing styles of the 1970s, which allowed Yaniro's approach to stand out. His preparatory training contributed to the development of his innovative climbing style, allowing him to perfect moves that were used by few others at the time, such as the "Yaniro"/figure-four. The "Yaniro" is a climbing move that involves placing one leg over the opposite elbow to reach a distant hold. The technique was originally performed by Patrick Berhault during the traverse of La Loubiere in 1979. Yaniro popularized the move when he used it on the ascent of Chouca (8a+) in Buoux in the late 1980s at the suggestion of Darius Azin. Subsequently, the move, and its association with Yaniro in particular, became well known in climbing circles in France. In 1993, he finished 52nd in the World Cup in Nuremberg.
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