UKC

I believe that I am getting very close to achieving my intermediate term training objective of climbing f8a in 30 years. (Obviously if, when I had youth in my favour, I had also had Ratho in my favour, I would have achieved this objective within the bog standard 3 years for today's average young performer).
I think it is fair to say that this achievement will put me on the Punter to Athlete scale somewhere in between a top-roping bumblie at Stanage and Adam Ondra. So, all you UKC arbiters of elitist appellation, Punter or Athlete?

In reply to Robert Durran:
Robert.
I have seen you in your shorts.
Athlete.

In reply to Robert Durran:
Punter.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Wow Rob. That's fantastic! You are an athlete. Now, if that's intermediate... what's the ultimate?

In reply to Robert Durran:
in 1980 athlete

in 2010 punter

In reply to jon:

E6 onsight.
Or, failing that, 8a+ in 60 years.

In reply to Robert Durran:

E6 onsight is a lot easier... oh shit............

In reply to Robert Durran:

I will be happy if I get to E5 and 8a in 30 years I have been climbing 2/3 years and E2 and f7a are at my limit so far although I feel like I haven't improved in ages

In reply to Robert Durran:

In climbing everyone is a punter.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Number chasing, therefore solely an athlete and not a climber.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Tricky one; you've achieved a very high grade, but it's taken you a bugger of a long time to get there.

I reckon you're a Puntlete.

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

Actually not achieved it yet.....!
But I have done one or two other things in the intervening 30 years.

In reply to Fiend:

Not even a climber! Surely some punters chase at least small numbers?

In reply to Robert Durran:

sort of half way between an punter and an athlete. Since 8a is a path, I guess you're a pathlete.

In all seriousli-nous though; it makes you a good climber; hope you manage it soon!

In reply to Robert Durran:

quite right Rob! ..yeh Fiend..'easy trad' chaser!

In reply to jon:

Oh shit indeed! You mean I have wasted all this effort and time trying to get strong enough to do well protected steep E6 (you wouldn't catch me on a slab or a scary one).

In reply to Robert Durran: Well seeing as there's at least 2 60+ year olds leading 8a in the UK, and you're only a youth in comparison, I'd say that your were indeed somewhere between a punter and an athlete.

Andy F

In reply to andy farnell:

So does one have to do one's first 8a either below a certain cut off age (say 18) or above another cut off age (say 55) to qualify for athlete status? I would agree that these days if you start training seriously in your teens and havn't done 8a by a third cut off age (say 25) then you almost certainly qualify for untalented or undedicated punter status!

In reply to Robert Durran: I'd say that 8a qualifies you as an intermediate level punter. You're not an athlete until you've onsighted 9a. In carpet slippers. And boxing gloves. Blindfold.

Andy F

In reply to andy farnell:

Wow! Has Adam Ondra actually done that? I must have missed it on the "Low Down" (Bjorn probably referred to him by some cliquey nickname, so that only the in crowd would pick up on it).

In reply to Jamie Bankhead: Athlunter?

In reply to Quarryboy:
Thats a spot on answer, sorry Rob.

In reply to Robert Durran: I reckon you're a pretty good climber. I don't know if you're a punter or not, you're recreational proclivities are your own business.