Following on from our recent report detailed within :-
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=243203
This just in from a reporter on the scene ...
Stepping up for round 2 with New Age Traveller, our intrepid hero looked more confident than ever. After clipping up the route and practicing a few moves he was straight on to redpoint.
"To be honest", says Al Austin, Rab's dependable and highly supportive belay partner, "I didn't expect him to get it first go, he wasn't really warmed up". The redpoint came to grief just at the end of the technical crux. "He was still feeling confident when he came down" said Austin "I just knew it was in the bag on the next go".
After a short rest, Carrington was on the sharp end again. This time he powered through the technical crux with ease, Austin watching the flawless ascent with admiration. "It was only as he got into the last few moves below the chains that I saw things going wrong" says Austin. "He seemed lost and had all the wrong holds, bridging out on a tufa, way too far right and pinching non-existent excrecences between his finger and thumb. I thought "f**k me! He's blown it again!" but with a feat of strength normally found only in advanced Alzheimer patients, he hurled himself at the chains, whooped with joy as his arthritic hands kept their hold and got the tick".
News quickly spread to the lower catwalk, and Rab himself was seen to be texting everyone in the address book. There were kind words from Superstar climber Steve McCLure (mixed with threats of violence as Rab cast his eyes towards Steves project), and praise from all those present.
"It was a pity it had to end in such unseemly fashion" says Austin, who was apparently cruelly taunted by Carrington with cries of "stick that up your arse, you Nottingham tosspot".
Galled by such taunts, Austin made a couple of lacklustre attempts at the route, but then, nearing the end of the day and just as all seemed lost, Austin tied on again for one final time. With a fluency seldom seen on British rock, he cruised easily to the chains to cries of "Dix point!" from a team of French judges who had gathered to witness the event.
And so, dear readers, on such days is the history of British climbing written, two climbers with a a combined age well in excess of 250 years have scaled the giddy heights of 8a proving that all you need is a trust fund, limitless time and a room full of monkeys with typewriters.
The day was summed up by a witness, Mr Phillip Smith of sheffield, when he said, "I'm sure I put my harness in my rucksack this morning"
