British Juniors - Big Ticks In Font

by Neil Gresham - www.climbingmasterclass.com May/2009
This news story has been read 4,815 times

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+Shauna Coxsey climbing Rubis sur Angle, 7b+ at Gorge au Chat, 147 kb
Shauna Coxsey climbing Rubis sur Angle, 7b+ at Gorge au Chat
UKC News, May 2009
© Shauna Coxsey Collection Some of Britain's talented junior climbers were spotted tearing it up in Fontainebleau during the spell of fine weather over Easter.

Among them were Shauna Coxsey and Kitty Wallace.

16 year old Shauna Coxsey made light work of a string of problems in the high Font 7s, most notably Alta at Isatis.  Although there is some discussion about the grade of Alta (it is written at Font 7C+ in one guide and Font 7B+ in another), it is still a powerful proposition and Shauna dispatched it in just a few tries.

I just want to get back there this winter when the conditions are good!

Shauna Coxsey on Fontainebleau

Shauna also made a quick ascent of Carnage sit start (Font 7C), at Bas Cuvier and the very crimpy Rubis sur l'Ongle (Font 7B+) at Gorge au Chat. In addition she climbed a string of Font 7B's including the burly Biceps Mou at Bas Cuvier.

Shauna is perhaps best known for her competition prowess, having won the Sky Masters in Birmingham back in April and placed highly in EYS (European Cup) events last year, but she claims to be "far more psyched for outdoor climbing at the moment".

She has climbed two French 8a routes recently (Watermark in Spain and Raindogs at Malham) and the obvious question was whether she would be returning to Font for an 8A boulder.

+Kitty Wallace trying hard on Carnage, 7B+, Bas Cuvier, 139 kb
Kitty Wallace trying hard on Carnage, 7B+, Bas Cuvier
UKC News, May 2009
© www.climbingmasterclass.com "I just want to get back there this winter when the conditions are good!" was all she had to say on the subject.

Credit should also go to Shauna's British junior team mate Kitty Wallace, who climbed Carnage (Font 7B+) via the stand start and several 7A's at the age of 14. 

Stats on bouldering achievements for British juniors are hard to track down, but both climbers have almost certainly set records for females at their respective age categories.

British junior males evidently have Tyler Landman's act to follow and Font 8B would appear to be the line in the sand for a male under 17.

View a photo gallery of the Fontainebleau trip below:

+Shauna Coxsey climbing at Gorge au Chat, 204 kb
Shauna Coxsey climbing at Gorge au Chat
UKC News, May 2009
© Shauna Coxsey Collection
+Shauna Coxsey climbing at Roche aux Sabots, 145 kb
Shauna Coxsey climbing at Roche aux Sabots
UKC News, May 2009
© Shauna Coxsey Collection
+Shauna Coxsey climbing Carnage (sit start), 7c at Bas Cuvier, 141 kb
Shauna Coxsey climbing Carnage (sit start), 7c at Bas Cuvier
UKC News, May 2009
© Shauna Coxsey Collection
+Kitty Wallace climbing Carnage, 7B+, Bas Cuvier, 138 kb
Kitty Wallace climbing Carnage, 7B+, Bas Cuvier
UKC News, May 2009
© www.climbingmasterclass.com



Report by Neil Gresham - climbingmasterclass.com


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