UKC

The Peak District climber Pete Whittaker (16) headpointed Kaluza-Klein E7 6c at Robin Hood's Stride on Sunday, making his ascent just as it was going dark. He practiced the route for only 20 minutes before leading it. This is Pete's fourth E7 this year..........

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Is this news

In reply to Richard Bradley:


Yes. Next!

In reply to Richard Bradley:

In America 16 year old kids make news by doing first and second ascents of cutting edge boulder problems right at current limits (Daniel Woods, Tyler Woods - Jade, Ode To The Modern Man).

Over here 16 year old kids do headpoint ascents of established trade routes well within current limits that have already been onsighted / ground-upped.

Take your pick...

In reply to Fiend:

While in Sheffield Fiend reads about others' achievements and posts negatively about them.

In reply to Fiend: Surely Tyler Landsman does cutting edge problems on both sides of the Atlantic?

In reply to Fiend:

We are more inclusive at UKClimbing.com and like to give a bigger picture of what is happening.

So as well as cutting edge ascents, you get something more. Many find this inspirational and motivational, as well as giving recognition to young climbers out there who are doing fine ascents.

This is my editorial decision and I'm sticking to it.

In reply to Fiend:

Fiendy, sweety, you're being a bit of an arse

Last time I saw Pete was down at the Edge 2 or 3 years ago when he was a mere slip of a lad, but strong and bold with it and giving his older sister a run for her money! Great to hear he is achieving such good stuff on the grit now. Are there any other British 16 yr olds who are climbing trad routes to that level? Would be good to hear of them, if there are.

In reply to Fiend:

bloody hell

the kid's put up a new route of a decent grade at burbage south. He's also working another one there for which a friend is machine shopping a bespoke bit of pro.

He's climbing hard routes in great style. I think he should be applauded.

I'm surprised people jump on a little bit of press for such an enthusiastic climber.

In reply to mikeski:


It's not 'people', it's just Fiendy! He obviously hasn't had his morning coffee yet

In reply to NickD:


dinkypen:



Really.

I was replying to Richard Bradley's question, not to the news item.

I haven't used any negative terms in my post, just a neutral comparison. What people do with that comparison is up to them.

In reply to Fiend:
Is this a troll?
In all seriousness, AWESOME effort to the kid, makes a pleasant change from those of his age group hanging around offies getting 6th formers to buy L&B's and White Lightning!

In reply to Fiend:

I'm glad you've cleared that up. There we were thinking 'trade route' was being used pejoratively. So you don't think our youth are underachieving in comparision with other countries?

In reply to MF2005:

Second I attempt to document on the news page significant ascents by up and coming climbers, especially young climbers, as they are the Dave MacLeod's of tomorrow.

If you hear of any, email us.

In reply to Fiend:


Personally I'd rather read about the latter, sorry to disappoint..

In reply to Fiend: Remind me to keep my gob shut next time!

In reply to JonC:

Personally I think both are of interest. The fact that new boulder problems tend to involve desperately hard moves but little risk - ie: short falls onto mats, whereas headpointing E7's involves merely very hard moves but often the risk of serious injury, means the two types of achievement are very different in nature. But in my mind equally worthy of attention.

In reply to mikeski:

i told myself not to get involved in more 'is it news' stuff since we all know Mick will put stuff on the news section whether it is or isnt news. but i can't resist just one more..
not meaning to be negative... but headpointing aint 'in great style'.
the flash of crack and slab is the impressive thing here, not headpointing KK. if he did it in 20min he must be kicking himself for not going for the flash.
16 year old kids have been headpointing (and onsighting) e7 for a long time. (a climbing journo once told me a teenage had emailed him asking if his ascent of obsession fatale was news, to which he was almost tempted to reply 'only if you're in a wheelchair or did it one handed'.)

In reply to abarro81:

No he doesn't. I'm new media, despite being 47. The naysayers are still living in the 1970/80's/90's's when the climbing media was a monopoly and it was mates talking about what there mates had done.

My definition of news is solid and it is to present a bigger picture than the print media and I'm succeeding.

Cheers,

Mick

In reply to abarro81:
p.s. waddage to him for flashing c&s btw

In reply to abarro81:

Not to mention being able to do The Searing, which I seem to remember thinking was easily the hardest thing I'd ever taken one look at and decided I'd never be able to do. I could never quite see how it was supposed to get up that wall at all.

jcm

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Damn straight! I love all the tangential stuff! I canned a subscription to a popular mag because it had less to offer than UKC.

In reply to abarro81:

I'm sorry, but you really don't know what you're talking about.

Pete is doing some absolutely superb stuff at the moment and constantly surprises me with what he's got up his sleeve. Both him and Katy in my opinion are cutting edge for their age and what they're achieving (by British standards).

Put an ascent of Sad Amongst Friends, first repeat of Ron's traverse of stanage and flash of Crack and Slab and I'd say you're looking at someone reliatively unique.

In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training:
which bit of my post is wrong? no doubt he's damn good, no doubt flashing crack and slab is ace (see waddage above), no doubt he's done some wicked stuff.. but i don't get why i don't know what i'm talking about? (note, i didn't say none of this is news - though i don't headpointing KK is, or doing a new e6. plenty of new e7s/8s get put up and not reported on here. i do think his flash of c&s is news though...)

In reply to abarro81:

It is simple abarro81. You want to be in the news.

In reply to abarro81: i think given his age these things are particularly newsworthy, not that they wouldn't be from some one older as im pretty sure there has been plenty of e7 headpoints reported recently. Its highly unlikely there are any other 16yr old in britain operating at this sort of level in britain. it should provide inspiration to britains millions of strong wall-bred climbers to get out and do some proper stuff - who cares if its headpointed?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
i'd love to be in the news for doing something i considered newsworthy but would feel fairly embarrassed to be in the news for something which i didn't. i guess it all comes down to what we each think of as 'newsworthy' again doesn't it.
Joel90: other 16 year olds flashing e7? you're probably right, i'd be surprised if there were many. others headpointing them? fo sho.

In reply to JonC:

haha, ditto.

fiend, you give a disheartening impression of the climbing fraternity by always being on here carping. that is a pity. i was interested to here this news. well done to the fella.

caps key broken,
danny.

In reply to DannyC:


Also ability to read my posts broken.

I posted a comparison of different news events on this thread.

On other threads I post a wide variety of climbing thoughts - philosophy, information about areas, encouragement to people, humour, banter, etc etc. If you mistakenly judge that overall as "carping" that is your issue.