Ted Kingsnorth has made the first ascent of a link-up joining Predator (8b) 8b into Well Dunne Finish (8b) 8b at Malham Cove, to produce The Terminator - at an unconfirmed grade of 8b+.

Ted told UKC:

"My new link-up extends Predator into Well Dunne Finish, the 8b extension of Zoolook. Predator is the next route to the right of Zoolook and actually traverses a few feet left below the capping roof (where most routes finish) to a belay just two metres right of the Zoolook lower-off. So the Well Dunne finish is an obvious candidate for an extension to Predator."

On Saturday, Ted worked the moves left from the Predator belay to the Zoolook belay past a two metre section of new rock, managing to find a sequence to stretch left and reach the Zoolook chains. Ted had redpointed the Well Dunne finish in November last year, so the moves remained fairly fresh in his mind.

He went up to check the moves again after the winter period and noticed that a hold had broken off, but fortunately found a new sequence. Ted told UKC:

"Well Dunne Finish has two burly English 6c moves, matching a large undercut on the lip of the roof and then using a fingery sidepull for the left hand to do a massive reach up to the slopey shelf with a big Egyptian for the right foot. Then there is the reach left to a pinch using the new left foothold I found which is about hard 6a. The remaining 20 feet of climbing are quite awkward and pumpy but always easing until the belay can be clipped just below the upper ledge (probably about 7c+ish from the Zoolook chains to the top)."

Ted used a 'shoulder bar' rest which gave some respite before moving into Well Dunne Finish:

"On the link from Predator, you must downclimb the last three easy moves of Zoolook to reach this rest, which is definitely worth doing to try and depump after Predator but which all adds to the length of time spent on the rock. You then have to climb back up these moves. It is important that you judge your recovery so that you don’t outstay your welcome in the rest and leave it even more pumped but at the same time you make sufficient use of it, a difficult balancing act!"

Ted had two redpoints on Saturday and got through Predator feeling fresh both times, but fell on the link into Well Dunne. Returning the next day after a morning's rest, Ted felt more familiar with the moves and finally ticked-off his project with an enthusiastic crowd gathering to support him from The Catwalk. He commented:  

"The last few moves were quite nerve-wracking as you don’t want to blow it but I took my time and soon the belay was clipped. I think this new link is about 8b+ as it’s a fair bit pumpier than the Well Dunne Finish. I have named it ‘The Terminator.' Hopefully some repeats will confirm the grade."

Ted is sponsored by: Scarpa