UKC

Do the BMC have a look at these routes or is it all subject to the wall they are set at e.g. i can happily flash 7a’s/ b’s at awesome walls & MCC but got spanked on a 6c last night at Rochdale!!??

Great idea the leading ladder but does it require moderation?

p.s. Yes my boots where tied, i did have chalk, ...and no to all the other stupid questions that usually follow such a post on UK climb

In reply to tommakin:

Have you thought through how this moderation would work?

In reply to Mr Plow: A handfull of moderators from the BMC with similar grading standards trying the routes or maybe some way to vote as with UKC outdoor routes?

Any ideas?

In reply to tommakin: I found last year that there were venues with significantly softer grades than others, funnily enough though it was Rochdale where I managed to have the best round (and I usually climb at MCC/ Stockport).

I don't think it'd be logistically possible to moderate the grades, especially as it's just a fun comp. I'd recommend just getting to as many venues as you can so you get the best three rounds you can.

In reply to tommakin:
Wall routes tend to be quite generous with their grading, and that's certainly been my experience with AWCC Mcr, comp routes are usually more representative of real world grades.

In reply to Serpico:

Do you know who the setter is?

In reply to tommakin: Rochdale routes are short, and generally on short sport routes there are harder moves than long stamina fests. Also we always incooperate screw on's for feet in our setting, were you remembering to use them?
The 7a corner has been catching out those that can't bridge too but hey you have to be able to climb all styles of routes that's what makes the LL good you travel around and try lots of different venues with different styles of setting and grades do vary, but after all grades are always exact and comparable on the crag right! You can always have a re-match as there are another 12 days left.

In reply to Ian Dunn: Very true, i'm in no way shunning the routes at Rochdale as they were all superb and thoroughly enjoyed (even the 6a+ was a thinker), i guess it just comes down to personal grading... cue the great British grading argument .

I usually climb at the larger walls in Manchester/ Liverpool but thoroughly recommend Rochdale if your cragging in the area and get rained off or in need of a good bouldering sesh.

In reply to tommakin:
It is important not to get too distracted by personal difficulties / issues because as we all know - grading IS an exact science. All of the route setters are Scientists - and they NEVER make mistakes. The routes will always be graded EXACTLY at their specified difficulty (+/- a facial expression or two). If a route feels too hard or too easy, it is inevitably the result of:
high / low gravity
excess / lack of alcohol
phase of the moon
audience
It is also very important to acknowledge that perceived difficulty is never subject to "humidity", "temperature", "belaying", "crowds", "queues" etc. - such that everybody attempting the routes in any of these events is absoultely fairly and equitably treated.

But........ did you try the 6b at the Foundry 2 years back!!!!!!!!!!

In reply to keefe:

keefe you are a legend and 100% correct!!

Simon

In reply to Serpico:Wall routes tend to be quite generous with their grading


It helps to improve the customer experience.

In reply to Simon Lee:

wall routes should be taken wiht a pinch of salt, if you find it is easy then it probably is! (its not because you have suddenly got better!!) that said the wall is a good place to get strong, thats why all the foreigners call them climbing gyms!

In reply to keefe: Very good points indeed Keefe and no i didn't try the 6b @ the foundry 2 years back... a man eater?

...But getting back to the origional point of my post was that i thought there to be a huge grade jump from the 6b+ to the 6c (all graded by the same person and similar climbing style) .. Maybe i should have waited for a full moon!

It would be interesting to see what others who have done these routes think the same or maybe old age just suddenly kicked in??!!

In reply to keefe:


I remember that one. <shudder>
It put me off the Leading Ladder for good...

In reply to Lurkio:

There's a 6b+ at ratho still up from the last round, grade estimations go from 7a+ to 7b+!!! I'll point you in the direction next time you're up

In reply to Lurkio:

Lol, The foundry put me of the LL for a bit as well!!!

In reply to Bill Davidson:

No thanks!

In reply to tommakin:

Kids tried them last night and found them ok. 6c has a clever move at the top that spat off No 1 son first go, but he cruised the 7b. 15 yr old daughter flashed all up to and including corner 7a.

As squawk said earlier, it can depend on what walls / styles you are used to; Rochdale is not very high, predominantly vertical, with little in the way of overhang / roof, so the routes will inevitably be different to (for eg) Manchester or Awesome walls, with much longer routes over a greater variety of angles. Same as outdoors trad, where a 20m limestone climb at malham might have the same grade as an 8m at Stanage, but they will be completely different styles of climb.

In reply to tommakin: i still believe that indoor walls should adaept a 1 to 10 ??? grading system and not relate to outside grades as this only confuses people then each wall will be only graded to the ability of the setter and not trying to compare between walls inside and outside if you see what i mean ,

In reply to maybe_si:


Very true, next time go to your local wall and climb every route of the same grade it will give you a better feel for what that grade 'should' be.

Ultimately indoors helps you get stronger and climbing outdoors is quite different.

In reply to tommakin: Given my experiences last year I think most of the walls tried to make sure that their routes were solid in the grade. But there was variation, I did a 7B at one wall which was easier than the 7A (which I couldn't do) and there was a 6B at another wall that was harder than the 6C and 7A (for me at least).

It's all good fun though !