Latest News & Events Diary

Interestingly, Gaz's left hand exit, Bonnie V11/8a remains unrepeated, despite attempts from various climbers.

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Chris takes up the story:

"It all started on 17th August 1968 with Leaning Buttress Crack and April Crack and finished yesterday with Old Smoothie - 1000 routes on Stanage (see chris on Old Smoothie here).

Forty years to do 1,000 routes is slow going, but you can't rush these things.

Dave Spencer and Brian Rossiter were partners for the final half a dozen and Sherri Davy turned up with a bottle of bubbly as we were about to start number 1,000 - which was nice.

By my calculations there are 1,415 routes in the current BMC definitive guide so that should pass on the next few years nicely! "

Congratulations Chris and best of luck with the rest.

Five other lucky winners who will each receive a copy of climbing: 09 when it hits the shelves later in the autumn were also pulled from the hat:

Ray Lindley, Rich Griffiths, Paul Johnson, Ben Gilbert and Will Wykes.

UKC Top Gun, Rob Stone, also deserves a special mention having submitted the first correct answer to all six quiz questions in a little over ten minutes of the competition being uploaded to UKC! Top marks for speed Rob; can't fault you on your clear addiction to UKC!

The competition, which was really well received/subscribed, is an exciting departure on the calendar and one which is hoped to become a regular feature. More than one (no names...) entrant cunningly tried to smooth-talk their way into the home straight by front-loading their emailed answers by offering unsolicited (though gratefully received...) positive feedback on the comp as well as the recent calendars and imagery thereon. However, it was all to no avail as the winners were all pulled from a proverbial competition hat - in this case a light blue Tupperware lunch box. So a big thanks for all the interest and support; much appreciated. By way of consolation all the other entrants will get an email with 'early bird offer' for climbing:09 along with the offer of in-depth counselling having been a mere cheesy wafer away from the top prize!

Planning photo shoots is a tricky business and, in order to hit the ground running, location scouts have already been dispatched and a beau temp requisition submitted in advance of the photo shoot with Rachael. All other things being equal, the photo shoot will happen over the next couple of weeks so watch out for a report on the shoot (spandex and all...) on UKC in the early autumn.

Meanwhile I'm off now to find my Troll tights; I'm not gonna be out-done by Gary Gibson who, as readers/owners of Peak climbing guides from the Eighties will know, was a frequent climbing partner of mine at that time. But remember folks, what's fashionable today WILL look hideous tomorrow as the two shots linked below clearly show. BTW I'm the one attempting the gnarly rock-over on Stanage's much ignored Paranoid, the other shot is an image of two Bens (Moon and Masterson) on Rubicon's Caviar. For more such nostalgic nonsense see my Thirty Years of Pennine Climbing Gallery...

Photos:

• Keith on Paranoid
• Ben Moon and Ben Masterson on Caviar

Kozjek had set up a bivy tent somewhere on the mountain near a cornice. Kozjek had emerged from the tent and approached the cornice when he fell down the face. The exact details of the incident are unclear, and there remains hope that in the morning, a rescue attempt will be made.

"There is no doubt he's a good climber," says Slovenian alpinist Marko Prezelj, "but as a person, he is even better."

Pavle Kozjek is one of the world's most accomplished alpine climbers and has written several pieces for Alpinist Magazine. You can find out more about him and his achievements on the Alpinist Website.

Read more in the full report by Christian Beckwith on Alpinist.com.

Es Tresidder gives us the full low down (with superb photography) in this UKC article:

UKC British Tasermiut Fjord Expedition Report

Adam Ondra has on-sighted an almost vertical F8c, Absinth in Sparchen. "20m of crimping, my style - Soft". He also onsighted Generation Next, 8b+ in Zillertal.

Martina Cufar has done Tom et je ris, 8b+ in Verdon. "The nicest collonette I've ever seen!!!!"

Read a blog post with photo of Martina on the route here: 8a.nu Article

Maja Vidmar who won the last 6 WC comps in 2007 but has been injured this season, is back. During 8 days in France she on-sighted five F8a's and two F8a+'s in Gorges du Loup.

More info on the 8a.nu news page.