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INTERVIEW: Mark 'Zippy' Pretty and Andy Pollitt

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 UKC Articles 28 Sep 2017
A much younger Mark 'Zippy' Pretty., 3 kbThe tables are turned as 80s legend and routesetter Mark 'Zippy' Pretty declines an interview and offers to interrogate Andy Pollitt instead...

My first memories of meeting Andy are mixed with the sounds of rumbling lorries, the crashing of rock fall and the smell of lime dust in the air; this was Stoney Middleton in the early 1980s.



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 Paul Figg 28 Sep 2017
In reply to UKC Articles:

Great article, I must be a real sucker for this 80's nostalgia stuff. A good podcast about Zippy on http://www.niallgrimes.com/jam-crack-podcast/jcpc-036-mark-zippy-pretty
 John2 28 Sep 2017
In reply to UKC Articles:

That's a really good interview. The bit about why he gave up climbing after Punks in the Gym makes a lot of sense - he'd already lost the passion, but still had one piece of business he was obsessively determined to get out of the way.
 Wft 28 Sep 2017
In reply to Paul Figg:

Yep, enjoyed that one
 Ramon Marin 28 Sep 2017
In reply to UKC Articles:

Shame you lost the passion Andy, there was plenty of it back in the day. I reckon two weekends hanging out with me and you'd get it back
 Shani 28 Sep 2017
In reply to UKC Articles:

Another great interview. Reckon there is a 'coffee table' book in there somewhere regarding all these interviews; it could sit alongside the autobiographies - like 'The Power of Climbing' but sponsored by Saga.
 seankenny 28 Sep 2017
In reply to Paul Figg:

> Great article, I must be a real sucker for this 80's nostalgia stuff. A good podcast about Zippy on http://www.niallgrimes.com/jam-crack-podcast/jcpc-036-mark-zippy-pretty

I liked that podcast too. Call out to UKC head honchos: an article on the new routes in the Verdon would be really good. The current Verdon article here mentions those fresh sectors and routes but simply suggests "it's for another article". I think it's time for that other article! Also, some pics of this 100m 9a he mentions would be cool. I had a look online but couldn't find any...
 Karl Bromelow 28 Sep 2017
 Chris_Mellor 28 Sep 2017
In reply to Paul Figg:

Excellent interview and nice counterbalance to AP's own interviews. Class article.
In reply to Karl Bromelow:

AP sent me that one through but as a diddy thumbnail. Didn't realise it was in the galleries - I'll stick it in now!
 Mick Ward 29 Sep 2017
In reply to UKC Articles:

Probably the best climbing interview I've ever read. With the very greatest of interviews, it's as though interviewer and interviewee somehow enter this other sphere where 'it all comes out'. And this happened here.

Agree with Shani. There's a book in these interviews - definitely (as well as Punks II). But not by Saga - and not just nostalgia. Understandably we punters wonder about those who've pushed themselves so much harder than us, made sacrifices we didn't, reaped rewards we couldn't imagine.

And Zippy? Bloody hell!!! After decades of being the darkest of all dark horses in climbing terms, now he just saunters out and nails the best climbing interview I've ever read (let's dump the 'probably').

My brain hurts with all this good stuff. Keep it coming!

Mick
 AP Melbourne 29 Sep 2017
In reply to Mick Ward:

Thanks heaps Mick - and all. Yep, Zippy played us all a blinder there didn't he.
Considering he doesn't 'do' email we put it all together via texts so my thumbs shall likely never be the same again.
Well done Zippy. Maximum respect old bean.
A. X
 Karl Bromelow 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

I was kidding Natalie, but stoked to see it used. Cheers, Karl

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