UKC

Mina Leslie-Wujastyk - Mecca 8b+ Exclusive Video

© Nick Brown / Outcrop Films
Mina Leslie-Wujastyk recently climbed the classic 8b+ Mecca, the mid-life crisis at Raven Tor in the Peak District making her the first British woman to climb 8b+ in Britain, and the second British women to climb that grade anywhere (check out the original UKC News Piece).

This ground-breaking ascent was captured on film by Nick Brown of Outcrop Films and is now exclusively on UKClimbing.com.

Mina, who is perhaps best known for her bouldering exploits, has her own website and blog, on which she tells a little more about how she started climbing:

"My climbing career started when I was only 8. My parents, my sister and I had been living in India for a year just outside Bangalore and during this period I was a little monkey on the climbing frame at school; all possible time was spent on the steel frame we called the "Jungle Jim". When we moved back to the UK, my games progressed to climbing around the house – my favourite game was trying to climb around the house and into every room to touch the far wall, all without touching the floor! I was only young but nevertheless these games impacted on the furniture, and seeing my love for general scampering, my Mum decided to find out if I could start climbing. It was from this moment that I began climbing in the more normal way. My Mum took me to a local wall in Bovingdon and then a wall opened up really close to where we lived in Amersham a year later.

My climbing began inside but I soon ventured out onto the rocks in the Peak District, Portland and Fontainbleau as a teenager. The rest, as they say, is history....I love climbing outside and going on trips and I also compete for the Great Britain Bouldering Team which I thoroughly enjoy too."

And commenting on Mecca to UKC a few weeks ago Mina said:

"I really enjoyed the whole process of working this route. It's a classic, full of great moves and I'm really pleased to have done it."

Martin Atkinson, the head-honcho at Wild Country, and also the first ascensionist of Mecca, told UKC:

"It was interesting to see that not only had Mina done Mecca but Ako and Lucy had done Supercool in the same week. Both great ascents and it goes to show that girls know a thing or two about choosing a good route to work on!"

Photos - Mina on Mecca, the mid-life crisis

Mina Leslie-Wujastyk climbing Mecca... 8b+ at Raven Tor  © Nick Brown / Outcrop Films
Mina Leslie-Wujastyk climbing Mecca... 8b+ at Raven Tor
© Nick Brown / Outcrop Films
Mina Leslie-Wujastyk climbing Mecca... 8b+ at Raven Tor  © Nick Brown / Outcrop Films
Mina Leslie-Wujastyk climbing Mecca... 8b+ at Raven Tor
© Nick Brown / Outcrop Films

photo
Mina Leslie-Wujastyk climbing Mecca... 8b+ at Raven Tor
© Nick Brown / Outcrop Films (Screen shot from film)

Mina Leslie-Wujastyk is sponsored by Arc'teryx , Five Ten , Beta Climbing Designs and Optimum Nutrition and is part of the British Bouldering Team, who are supported by the BMC

  • For more on Mina, follow her excellent BLOG



24 Sep, 2012
Fantastic effort. Good video too, I like the way it shows the whole climb and not just edits.
24 Sep, 2012
Superb!! And climbed the top move the sloper way which is harder than the way most ppl do it reaching off the undercut. thats the first time I have seen anyone use the sloping foothold at the base of the groove as a handhold, awesome!
24 Sep, 2012
Brilliant. Needs to work on her grunting though - it's hardly Maria Sharapova, now is it?! jcm
24 Sep, 2012
as well loving the action (and celebration) i'm also loving the colour of that rope.
24 Sep, 2012
Mega
More Comments
Loading Notifications...
Facebook Twitter Copy Email