UKC

Kaabah F8c+ Second Ascent For Smitton

© ROCKFAX
On 16th September Paul Smitton made the second ascent of Steve McClure's F8c+ route, Kaabah at Raven Tor in the Peak District. 23 year old Smitton, originally from Clitheroe in Lancashire is no stranger to hard climbing with previous F8c and F8c+ ascents to his name.

Kaabah is the second extension to the famous F8b+ route Mecca. The other Mecca Extension, F8c (first ascent also McClure) was repeated by Smitton last year.

In the video below McClure says that Mecca Extension is really the "easy" way up the top wall, avoiding the hardest challenges. Kaabah looks to pack in as much hard climbing as possible!

This repeat is a fantastic effort from Paul. You can see a list of Paul's other recent ascents at www.8a.nu and read little more about the man at this UKClimbing.com article.

You can see Steve McClure make the first ascent of Kaabah in this video.


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17 Sep, 2008
great effort....although i must admit to never having heard of Paul. is he sponsored by anyone? anyway 8c+ in the peak must be worth an extra grade on the continent :p
17 Sep, 2008
From: UK Sport Climbing 2007 by Stuart Littlefair Jan/2008 http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=771 Paul who? Watch this space, you're going to hear a lot more about Paul Smitton over the next few years. Paul is 22 and from Clitheroe in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire and started climbing ten years ago with his dad, Rob. This year, Paul has set the Peak District alight with a series of inspiring ascents at that crucible of hard climbing, Raven Tor. Not content with a very rapid ascent of Mecca, 8b+, Paul jumped two grades and followed up with an ascent of the desperate link-up of the Staminaband traverse into the viciously crimpy Pump up the Power. Initially given 9a, this link has settled at a very stiff 8c+! S till not content, Paul has recently made very casual repeats of Hooligan and Mecca Extension, two very different 8c's. Impressively, Paul has made a mockery of the idea that sport climbing is all about hard work, achieving all this in an extremely easy-going style. I dread to think what he'll achieve if he really applies himself!
17 Sep, 2008
Paul has made a mockery of the idea that sport climbing is all about hard work, achieving all this in an extremely easy-going style. I dread to think what he'll achieve if he really applies himself! He was certainly applying himself when he was fighting on the redpoint on Saturday -but I guess you mean he doesnt train hard
17 Sep, 2008
His Dad used to teach me geography !
17 Sep, 2008
"Paul has made a mockery of the idea that sport climbing is all about hard work, achieving all this in an extremely easy-going style. I dread to think what he'll achieve if he really applies himself!" As quoted from: UK Sport Climbing 2007 by Stuart Littlefair Jan/2008 http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=771
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