13 Year Old Kai Lightner - Southern Smoke, 8c+Video

9th April, 2013

This has been read 11,616 times

Deadpoint Magazine reports that Kai Lightner has climbed Southern smoke (8c+), at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, USA. Kai is only 13 years old.

Kai Lightner on Southern smoke, 8c+, Red River Gorge © Amani Lightner (video still) — Kai Lightner on Southern smoke, 8c+, Red River Gorge
© Amani Lightner (video still)

Since early March, he has visited the area three times, resulting in four successful ascents of "8b or harder" routes: Ultra perm, 8b, Omaha Beach, 8b+, Proper Soul, 8b+ (New River Gorge), Transworld Depravity, 8b+, and now, last but not least, Southern smoke, 8c+.

Considering how quickly he is moving through the grades at such a young age, it will be very interesting to see what he can do in the future.

You can watch Kai in action on Southern Smoke in this video:

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Comments

Luke Owens

9 Apr, 2013

Impressive!

psychomansam

9 Apr, 2013

Looked like he wasted loads of energy 'chalking' and spent far too much time on the route, getting pumped, instead of moving. At one point it seemed he rested on the holds before the jug! He didn't seem to have the moves particularly wired either, looking a bit unsure on his feet sometimes. Yet he still pissed it and made the whole thing look like a walk in the park! Loads of potential left...

johncoxmysteriously

9 Apr, 2013

What a great video. No ghastly music, for a start. Strange style, with those gawky long legs. Like.....well, like a teenager growing into his body. Didn't like he was getting too pumped to me - clearly nothing he couldn't handle, anyway. Nice to see a good young black climber, as well. Would this be the hardest black ascent ever?! jcm

simes303

9 Apr, 2013

I would much rather have had ghastly music than listen to the bloke going "nice kai, nice kai, good job kai, nice kai, nice kai" etc. He made the climb look easy. Brill.