Magnus Midtbø

Magnus Midtbø
Midtbø in 2010
Personal information
Born (1988-09-18) 18 September 1988
Bergen, Norway
Height174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight71 kg (157 lb)
Climbing career
Highest grade
Medal record
Men's competition climbing
Representing  Norway
World Games
Bronze medal – third place2013 CaliLead
World Cup (Individual Legs)
Bronze medal – third place2011 Chamonix LegLead
Bronze medal – third place2012 Kranj LegLead
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2011–present
GenresClimbing, Vlog, Sport
Subscribers3.63 million
Views710.4 million[4]
Last updated: August 10, 2026

Magnus Rognan Midtbø (born 18 September 1988)[5] is a Norwegian rock climber, former competition climber, and YouTube video blogger. He was born in Bergen, Norway. He retired from competition climbing in 2017.

Climbing career

Rock climbing

Midtbø started climbing in 2000 at 12 years of age after his mother enrolled him in a class. After just one year of climbing, he won the Norwegian Youth Championship, and a year later, in 2002, he on-sighted his first 8a (5.13b) sport climbing route Øgletryne at the Sageveggen rock wall, near Bergen.[6][7][8]

In August 2010, he completed the route Ali Hulk sit start extension in Rodellar, Spain.[9] The first ascent was made by Daniel Andrada in 2007. The grade was initially proposed at 9b (5.15b), but was later downgraded to 9a+/b, and then further to 9a (5.14d) in 2023.[1][2]

In May 2016, Midtbø returned to Rodellar to on-sight the sport climbing route Cosi fan tutte which is graded at 8c+ (5.14c). As of April 2013, the highest-ever climbing grade to be on-sighted is just one grade higher at 9a (5.14d).[3] In March 2015, he redpointed Papichulo at Oliana at 9a+ (5.15a).[10]

Competition climbing

In 2006, Midtbø won the World Youth Championships in Beijing, China.[11][12] After graduating from high school in 2007, Midtbø moved to Innsbruck, Austria, where he trained with other leading competition climbers including David Lama, Jakob Schubert, and Anna Stöhr. Midtbø was particularly impressed by Lama.[13]

Midtbø retired from competitive climbing in May 2016,[14] saying: "I still get motivated just by climbing. I think some people need a specific goal, but I’ve never felt like I needed one. I mean it sounds really cheesy, I know. 'I just love climbing. I love being in the nature. I love the feeling of feeling free,' but it is like that you know. I don’t know. I like the whole lifestyle, I like travelling, I like climbing, I like trying hard, and most of all, I like the feeling of feeling really fit and strong, the feeling of being able to climb anything."[15]

Media career

Midtbø runs an eponymous YouTube channel, which has over 3.6 million subscribers as of August 2026.[16]

In 2013, Magnus Midtbø participated in a German TV show Der Deutsche Meister (the German Champion) as the international contestant in the Reckstangenklettern (salmon ladder) challenge. Midtbø beat the German contestant.[17][18]

In 2016, Midtbø was criticized for publishing a picture of himself hanging off the Trolltunga rock formation in Norway. He was wearing a safety harness but local police officers were concerned the stunt might inspire others to replicate it without taking proper safety precautions.[19][20][21]

In January 2020, Midtbø represented Team Europe in American Ninja Warrior: USA vs. The World.[22]

In 2021, Midtbø competed in the 12th season of the reality show Mesternes mester, where he finished third.[23] In 2022, he also competed in the first season of Forræder, the Norwegian version of The Traitors, in which he was banished during the finale.[24]

In 2022, Midtbø uploaded one of his most viral videos where he documented his experience free solo climbing with Alex Honnold.[25]

In December 2024 and February 2025, Midtbø released two videos filmed with the French Foreign Legion. In the first he took part in the unit's mountain commando selection alongside serving candidates. He finished outside the time limit on the initial timed run but recorded the best result among participants on the 27-kilometre march.[26] In the second he joined recruits during the closing phase of their basic training, completing sea swims, obstacle courses and a via ferrata course, and was presented with a medal at the ceremony marking the end of the selection. Midtbø described himself as the "first civilian" to receive the award, adding that he would be "first and last".[27]

Personal life

His sister, Hannah Midtbø (born 1990), is also a professional climber. She won the Nordic Championships (NM) in the lead climbing discipline in 2006[5] and has been a bouldering competitor at various IFSC World Cups and European Championships.[28]

Rankings

[29] [30] [31]

World Games

World Games record:

Discipline 2013
Cali[32]
Lead 3

Number of medals in the IFSC Climbing World Cup

IFSC Climbing World Cup

Lead

Season Gold Silver Bronze Total
201111
201211
Total0022

USA Climbing

USA Climbing

Discipline 2010[33] 2011[34]
Lead 1 1

IFSC Climbing World Youth Championships

IFSC Climbing World Youth Championships

Discipline 2005
Youth A[12]
Lead 1

Number of medals in the Climbing European Youth Cup / Series

Lead

European Youth Cup Winner: 2005,[35] 2006,[36] 2007[37]

Season Category Gold Silver Bronze Total
2003Youth B11
2004Youth A11
2005Youth A325
2006Junior33
2007Junior415
Total114015

Scandinavia

  • Nordic champion 7 years in a row (2005–2011)
  • Norwegian champion 11 years in a row (2005–2015)[21][5]

References

  1. 1 2 Fernandez, Isaac (15 May 2023). "Dani Moreno chains 'Ali Hulk extension total sit start' and leaves it in 9a" [es]. Desnivel (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 Björn Pohl (October 2010). "Video: Magnus Midtboe climbs 9b". UK Climbing. Archived from the original on June 16, 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Magnus Midtbø onsights 8c+ at Rodellar in Spain". Planetmountain. 18 April 2013. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "Magnus Midtbø - YouTube". YouTube.
  5. 1 2 3 "Magnus Rognan Midtbø in Store Norske Leksikon". Archived from the original on Oct 23, 2016.
  6. ↑ Tijl. "Magnus Midtbø". belclimb.net. Archived from the original on Sep 29, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Øgletryne Sageveggen". 8a.nu. Archived from the original on Jun 15, 2019.
  8. ↑ "The line is blurry. Øgletryne was the first 8a I ever did and now 15 years later it's my first 8a without a rope[...]". facebook.com. Archived from the original on Jun 16, 2019.
  9. ↑ Björn Pohl (August 2010). "Magnus Midtbø interview". UK Climbing. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  10. ↑ "Magnus Midtbø climbs Papichulo at Oliana". PlanetMountain. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  11. ↑ "Athlet Magnus midtbø". whiteout-climbing.de. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019.
  12. 1 2 "UIAA World Youth Championship - Bejing [sic] (CHN) 2005 - Result: male youth A lead". Retrieved June 16, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  13. ↑
  14. ↑ "Retirement announcement". Facebook. May 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  15. ↑ Mitdbo, Magnus (4 December 2018). "NO CLIMBING COMPETITIONS? - Q&A | VLOG #95". Youtube. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  16. ↑ "Magnus Midtbø - YouTube". YouTube.
  17. ↑ "Wuppertaler erfolgreich in ARD-Show". Westdeutsche Zeitung. 3 November 2013. Archived from the original on June 15, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Die Gewinner der Finalshow". ARD. Archived from the original on March 21, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Norway climber slammed for Trolltunga stunt". The Local Norway. 2 August 2016.
  20. ↑ "Mange mente jeg var gal og dum (Many thought I was crazy and stupid)". NRK. 11 August 2016. Archived from the original on Aug 17, 2016.
  21. 1 2 "Her henger Magnus (27) fra Trolltunga (Here, Magnus (27) hangs from Trolltunga)". NRK. 30 July 2016. Archived from the original on Aug 17, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Get to Know the Ninja Warriors of Team Europe". American Ninja Warrior Nation. 24 January 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  23. ↑ Holta Røssland, Vilde (26 February 2021). "Her ryker «Mesternes mester»-finaleplassen for Magnus Midtbø: – Frustrerende" [This is where Magnus Midtbø loses his spot in the *Mesternes mester* final: "Frustrating."]. Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  24. ↑ Haglund, Philip (11 November 2022). "Løy seg til topps i «Forræder»: Ble sykmeldt etter deltakelsen" [Lied their way to the top in "The Traitors": Went on sick leave after participating]. Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  25. ↑ Redaktion (2022-06-19). "Alex Honnold takes Magnus Midtbo to free solo climbing". Lacrux Klettermagazin. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  26. ↑ Midtbø, Magnus (30 December 2024). "The French Foreign Legion's INSANE Special Forces Test". YouTube. 53:01. Retrieved 4 August 2026. The 27 kilometer march. You've done the best result.
  27. ↑ Midtbø, Magnus (18 February 2025). "What It Really Takes to Survive French Foreign Legion Training". YouTube. 41:14. Retrieved 4 August 2026. First civilian to have one of these. First and last.
  28. ↑ "Hannah Midtboe (IFSC profile)". Archived from the original on Oct 11, 2018.
  29. ↑ "IFSC old website: Magnus Midtboe - All Results (2010)". Archived from the original on Dec 7, 2010.
  30. ↑ "IFSC old website: Magnus Midtboe - Best Results (2012)". Archived from the original on Jul 27, 2012.
  31. ↑ Mitdbo, Magnus. "About Me (2012)". Archived from the original on Nov 13, 2016.
  32. ↑ "World Games 2013 Cali result book: Climbing" (PDF). worldgames2013.sportresult.com. Swiss Timing. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-09-12.
  33. ↑ "2010 SCS Open National Championship Results". Archived from the original on Mar 7, 2017.
  34. ↑ "DiGiulian, Midtbø Win 2011 SCS Open National Championships". Archived from the original on Sep 11, 2018.
  35. ↑ "European Youth Cup 2005: male youth A lead". Retrieved June 15, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  36. ↑ "European Youth Cup 2006: male juniors lead". Retrieved June 15, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  37. ↑ "European Youth Series 2007: male juniors lead". Retrieved June 15, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.