UKC

McClure Repeats Hubble F8c+ & More

© Keith Sharples
Steve McClure cruising up the classic Regent Street at Millstone  © Marmot/Tim Glasby
Steve McClure cruising up the classic Regent Street at Millstone
© Marmot/Tim Glasby

Steve McClure climbing Hubble F8c+  © Keith Sharples
Steve McClure climbing Hubble F8c+
© Keith Sharples
Steve McClure has been active on Northern limestone recently, repeating the Raven Tor test-piece Hubble (F8c+), as well as onsighting Kali Yuga (F8b) at Two Tier Buttress, adding a harder new route (as yet unnamed and ungraded) to Two Tier and completing a mega link at Malham joining Bat Route in to Overshadow to give a sustained F8c+.

All of these individual achievements are impressive. To have a tick-list like this for the last few weeks is amazing.

Talking to UKC, Steve was extremely psyched over his ascent of Hubble, a short bouldery route that is different in style to Steve's usual offerings:

“It's one of my biggest fantasies ever to do this, bigger than all my new routes by far.”

Commenting on his blog, Raven Tor devotee Keith Sharples said:

"And the sixty four million dollar question – is it F8c+ or F9a? Well buy him a pint and perhaps he'll tell you. Word on the street from those that have been on both Hubble and Action Direct, Wolfgang Gullich's infamous Frankenjura test-piece of the same era, is that they are of comparable difficulty."

Keith Sharples has photographs and a report of the Hubble ascent here: Keith Sharples Blog

Steve's casual onsight of Kali Yuga was his second hardest UK sport onsight to date, after his onsight of the Kilnsey route Indian Summer (F8b+) a few years ago. This plus his flash of Dr Crimp (F8b+) confirms Steve's place at the forefront of UK sport climbing. Has F8b been onsighted in the UK by anyone else? We're not sure.


Steve has recently joined the Marmot team (UKC Announcement) and is sponsored by Marmot , Petzl , Beal , Five Ten


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11 Aug, 2009
P
11 Aug, 2009
is that london wall in the photo? With unlaced boots as well!
11 Aug, 2009
Regent Street?
11 Aug, 2009
Doesnt look like Regent Street.
11 Aug, 2009
Although on second viewing it could be!
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