UKC

THE LOWDOWN: Bolger bags Ciudad de Dios, 9a/+

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Tom Bolger on Ciudad de Dios, 4 kbBritish expat Tom Bolger, now residing in the village of Santa Linya, has started the year in the best possible way, finally succeeding on Edu Marin's Ciudad de Dios at his home crag, Santa Linya.
The route starts with a short bouldery 8c+ that leads to a rest. The second part also weighs in...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=59921
 @ndyM@rsh@ll 20 Jan 2011
In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: Excellent, well done Tom.
 GDes 20 Jan 2011
Good effort. He's rapidly becoming the UK's second best sport climber isn't he.
 long 20 Jan 2011
So which other British climbers have climbed 9a or harder outside of Britain?

Bolger
MacLoed (8c+/9a)
Simpson
 James Moyle 20 Jan 2011
In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: Malc Smith? Also, that is an amazing "no hands"!
Removed User 20 Jan 2011
In reply to douglas: Simpson?
 Fraser 20 Jan 2011
In reply to Removed User:

Homer.
 Fraser 20 Jan 2011
In reply to douglas:

Shirly Ste Mac has done something abroad?!
 scooott 20 Jan 2011
In reply to Fraser:
> (In reply to douglas)
>
> Shirly Ste Mac has done something abroad?!

Nope. His hardest route abroad seems to be 8c+. Fair few 9a and above routes in the UK though..
 Phippsy 20 Jan 2011
In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC:

Looks like he's levitating in the picture
 Quarryboy 20 Jan 2011
In reply to scooott:

Steve mac has done f9a outside of UK there was an article in a climb magazine a little while back about it.
 Adam Lincoln 20 Jan 2011
In reply to Quarryboy:
> (In reply to scooott)
>
> Steve mac has done f9a outside of UK there was an article in a climb magazine a little while back about it.

If it was the one in Misja Pec it was 8c+.

 Tyler 20 Jan 2011
In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC:

Inspiring effort.

Is the 'rest' in the photo the one that splits the two sections of the route?
 Steve Crowe Global Crag Moderator 20 Jan 2011
In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC:

Good effort Tom. It sounds like it was an awesome afternoon for everyone!


"and finally.. Rob Lamey fought his way up Ruta del sol 8b. Possibly the best 20 minutes of sending "

Read all about it on Tom's Blog http://tombolgerclimbing.blogspot.com/
MikeWatson 20 Jan 2011
In reply to douglas: In Austria Stewart Watson has redpointed 8c+/9a. Well done Tom awesome effort.
 tunaficiency 20 Jan 2011
stevie haston's done a 9a in the grotte de sabot
 ali k 20 Jan 2011
In reply to douglas:

Tom Bolger - quite a few now
Stevie Haston - Descente Lolita 9a
Dave Macleod - A Muerte 8c+/9a
Stew Watson - Mordor 8c+/9a
Chris Savage - Esclatamasters 9a

can't think of any others off the top of my head
it is hard to believe steve mac hasn't done one abroad, but i don't think he bothers projecting stuff for too long on holiday!

good effort Tom that's awesome news...and to Barrows too for his first 8b+!
Tam Stone 20 Jan 2011
In reply to ali k: Has Stevie Hastons route been repeated or confirmed at the grade?
Removed User 21 Jan 2011
In reply to Phippsy:

Agreed. It's a really improbable looking no-hands rest.

 marky 21 Jan 2011
In reply to ali k: Has Chris done Esclatamasters 9a - I knew he had been trying it but had not heard that he had completed it?
 Richard Hall 21 Jan 2011
In reply to ali k: Savage hasn't done Esclatamasters yet.
gritstoner 21 Jan 2011
In reply to Removed User:

True, at first glance this looks completely impossible. Suppose there's at least some purchase from a knee bar with his back (i.e. left foot), although at a pretty painful angle!
 ali k 21 Jan 2011
In reply to Richard Hall:
> (In reply to ali k) Savage hasn't done Esclatamasters yet.

Sorry, I meant to add a question mark - I wasn't sure about this one.

Yeh that 'rest' must be about V7 just to hold the position - a rest for your arms maybe but not the core!
 ali k 21 Jan 2011
In reply to ali k:
Anyway that brings it down another one. Given 'mordor' and 'a muerte' are slash grades that leaves only Bolger and Haston. I wonder if Haston's has been confirmed or tried by anyone?
Maybe only Bolger then?!
 Richard Hall 21 Jan 2011
In reply to ali k:

So what have we learnt from all this? - Brits only climb 9a at their local crag.

Sorry Chris, looks like you are going to have to either move up north or to Spain.
 chris_j_s 21 Jan 2011
In reply to ali k:

Haston has done 2 9a's. He also did Hugh at Les Eaux Claire.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=53125
 flaneur 21 Jan 2011
In reply to Richard Hall:

> So what have we learnt from all this? - Brits only climb 9a at their local crag.

Very good point but not just applicable to Brits I would guess. The really impressive climbers have always been the ones with a good away record. Moffatt in the 80s, Ondra, Sharma and Favresse now.



Not to demean Tom Bolger's efforts though, multiple 9s are extremely impressive, even when they are in your back garden. Sounds like he had a great day and was almost as pleased for the Japanese guys succeeding on their 7bs as he was for himself.
 Quarryboy 21 Jan 2011
In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC:

Simpson did Action Directe which is 9a, how could anyone forget that.
Tam Stone 21 Jan 2011
In reply to Quarryboy: Have you been locked up for a while?
Tam Stone 21 Jan 2011
In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: I saw Tom Bolger climb at Ratho a while ago, before the refurb. He was incredible then, I saw him lapping the hard routes, he must have been pretty young. I was told at the time he could lap any route in the building. Good to see him reach the top levels.
 Dan_Carroll 21 Jan 2011
In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC:

wonder if tom will venture back to try some of Steve Mac's 9a's... would be good to see.
 abarro81 22 Jan 2011
In reply to ali k:
Cheers dude.

> Yeh that 'rest' must be about V7 just to hold the position - a rest for your arms maybe but not the core!

Apparently lots of people can't even get the rest because it's so core intensive!
 Quarryboy 22 Jan 2011
In reply to Tam Stone:

I know there was that whole thing about whether he lied or not. But I still think he did it, he was observed and I don't think he would have gone to the effort of all the training that he showed in the film if he didn't actually do it in the end, plus they showed him doing all the moves.
 ali k 22 Jan 2011
In reply to Quarryboy:
I'm sure that means a lot to him. 2/10 for your effort - must try harder.

In reply to Dan_Carroll:
Yeh that would be interesting. Although I suspect they may be a little on the slabby side for Tom's liking!
 Peter Walker 24 Jan 2011
In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: I see he's onsighted an 8b+ now...has any Briton other than Steve McClure managed that before?
 threepeaks 24 Jan 2011
In reply to Björn Pohl - UKC: And to think I taught him all he knows! The day suddenly dawned when he said " why don't you just campus the moves like this sir..." on a Kilnsey 7b. The novelty of taking him climbing after school wore off after that. Well done youth, chip off the block and all that. Say hello to your dad for me. Dave S
 eivindf 24 Jan 2011
In reply to Peter Walker: without grabbing the trees?
 Peter Walker 24 Jan 2011
In reply to eivindf: That was an 8c, I think...
 jfw 25 Jan 2011
In reply to Quarryboy:

Think you have your climbers mixed up! When your as good as Tom you don't need to Lie.

Please get your facts in order.

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