UKC

Yesterday, Emma Twyford climbed Unjustified, 8c at Malham.

Becoming the first British woman to climb 8c on British soil, and the second British woman to climb 8c overall...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=69103

In reply to UKC News:

Well done to Emma. Obviously on a roll.

I saw a post by her on Twitter looking very pleased with herself but it didn't say why, now all is revealed.

In reply to UKC News:

Wicked, nice one Emma!

In reply to UKC News:

Fantastic - also a brilliant trad climber with her ascent in 2013 of Rare Lichen (E9 6c): http://dmmclimbing.com/news/2013/09/emma-twyford-repeats-rare-lichen-e9-6c/

In reply to UKC News:

There's an interview about the ascent here http://dmmclimbing.com/news/2014/08/first-female-british-8c-ascent-for-twyf...

In reply to UKC News:

And another one here.

http://www.womensclimbingsymposium.com/#!WCS-coach-Emma-Twyford-makes-the-f...

In reply to UKC News:

I am confident that this is only the beginning of what will become a run of good form.

Emma is going to be spending much of the winter out in Spain and I have no doubt that there'll be more cutting edge ascents to follow - good luck Emma (not that you need it)!!

In reply to UKC News:

Excellent news. 9a for Emma soon then? Lets hope.

Also hopefully it'll mean we'll see a load of other hard routes climbed by women.

In reply to clairejane and charvey:

Both interviews very good, I thought they offered a bit more insight than the average. Emma's come across in other interviews, also, as more candid than most. This is a good thing!

In reply to UKC News:

8b+ but a superb effort anyway.

In reply to tim carruthers:

My girlfriend says you're a douchebag for that comment, but luckily I convinced her not to say anything, even though I kind of agree with her.

In reply to UKC News:

Well done Emma.

In reply to Luke01:

The recent consensus is 8b+ (Buys, Mchaffie, Philips, Cassidy, Mawson, Kingsnorth etc..)

In reply to hankypanky:

Hmmm, UKC seem to be behind the times with this one?

In reply to Luke01:

Really good of you. Thanks

In reply to Luke01:

Is your girlfriend called Emma Twyford?

In reply to UKC News:

The consensus among the majority of recent ascentionists is 8b+ yet the media have chosen to ignore this and skew British climbing history in the process. It was given 8c originally for a more direct sequence which everyone now climbs around.

In reply to hankypanky:

A potted history to add a little colour to your statement:

The route was first climbed by Nic Sellars in the early 90's using a sika hold on the crux section (which was declared as 'blank' in an early OTE). It was originally given 8b+ and called 'Justified and Ancient'.
Tony Mitchell then chipped off (most) off the created hold and climbed it, renaming it 'Unjustified' and giving it 8c.

Some years later Ian Vickers repeated it, but found a new sequence that misses out the direct method buy looping round it. This method is the sequence most recent repeaters have used and is now regarded as 8b+, although one vocal local claims it now 'only 8b'. The route is going in the new guide as 8b+ (to the best of my knowledge).

This does not change the fact its the hardest female ascent in Yorkshire, and possibly the UK, and a very impressive piece of climbing by Emma. Its probably not the first female 8c on UK rock, but I'm sure that's not far away.

Andy F

In reply to andy farnell:

Mr Hankypanky's point doesn't seem unreasonable; if the route is generally considered 8b+ by lots who have done it, then fair enough. But when that's said by some one using a recently set up anonymous name, it always feels a bit like someone is grinding an axe. At least Old Skool said congrats whilst first noting the grade reappraisal.

In reply to TobyA:

If you search the old news reports on UKC for Unjustified ascents here:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/general/search.html?cof=FORID%3A11&ie=UTF-8&cx=01...

then you'll see at least 7 reports of ascents by men, all reported as 8c, from 2008 to 2014, plus plenty of congratulations on reaching the 8c grade, and no comments that 'everyone knows it's only really 8b/8b+'. At least UKC are being consistent and are according Emma the same recognition given to the male ascensionists.

Not aimed at TobyA, but anyone bothered by the reporting has had at least 10 years to raise their view, so ask yourself why you kept quiet for the blokes but are shouting now. What does that say about you?

In reply to switch:

Its an interesting point, however not completely fair

I for one only became aware of the change in opinion about the grade in the last month.

I would imagine the fact that the 8b+ grade is only going into the NEW guide, would put a lot of people in the same boat.

Vince

In reply to TobyA:

No axe to grind with Emma, it's an amazing ascent and one of the very hardest routes done by a British women. When it comes to history though the media need to be more honest and be a bit more considered. It doesn't take much to find out what the grade the route is currently regarded to be.

In reply:

Shoddy journalism

In reply to UKC News:

I always though that UKC just read the UKB Significant Repeats thread for all of their UK news. Obviously not, otherwise they'd have reported this days ago and the whole 8b+ or 8c thing would never have reared it's ugly head.

Whatever is written, the route itself isn't getting any easier and Emma's ascent is still worthy of high praise. Top effort.