Released a few weeks ago, our new documentary 'Statement of Youth' chronicles some of the key moments in the development of British sport climbing. One of the most important episodes in the film, and a pivotal event in climbing history, is Antoine Le Menestrel's jaw-dropping solo of Revelations.
Do you chaps reckon the sandstone reference means gritstone? I wonder what route "scared" JB - maybe they did a Team France rampage long before Team America turned up...
I love the 'honesty' with which he climbs. I felt compelled to read more about him after watching Statement of Youth, and couldn't help but form the impression that he climbs for the climbing and for himself - not for the competition, not for others. I find that truly inspiring.
Funny that the birth of UK sport climbing, the change in ethics from yo yo ing to working was inspired by a solo ascent. One in the eye for those who deride sport climbing.
Cheers Antoine for making this available, inspirational stuff.
I wonder if the Brits banging on about the inferiority of redpointing was the nudge (conscious or otherwise) that inspired him to consider soloing Revelation. If not it was the best of answers.
> I wonder if the Brits banging on about the inferiority of redpointing was the nudge (conscious or otherwise) that inspired him to consider soloing Revelation.
Didn't Jibe do a link-up the day before the big solo? Weedkiller/Rooster Booster/Sardine - and called it 'Allo Ethique' - is that correct? Clearly there was some discussion going on between the protagonists at the time.
Don’t know the timing but ‘Ello Ethique’ I think I saw it written as - don’t know what that translates as.
A friend who was there (Mark Mitchell) said that when he got to the Sardine crux he stopped and announced “ow can anyone fall off zis? zee olds are so big!” then carried on
> I wonder if the Brits banging on about the inferiority of redpointing was the nudge (conscious or otherwise) that inspired him to consider soloing Revelation. If not it was the best of answers.
I doubt anyone thought redpointing was inferior in a 'getting results sense' they just thought it represented a lower ethical standard. Which may be true.
> Funny that the birth of UK sport climbing, the change in ethics from yo yo ing to working was inspired by a solo ascent. One in the eye for those who deride sport climbing.
Given that he thought the solo was the purest ascent it could be viewed as nothing of the sort.
> I doubt anyone thought redpointing was inferior in a 'getting results sense' they just thought it represented a lower ethical standard. Which may be true.
I was thinking about the use of the term "ethics" when I read the piece. Ethics. Def: moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity. How was/is yo-yoing morally superior to redpointing? Wouldn't `style' be a more honest distinction? (*runs away quickly*)
It's long been generally accepted that climbing 'ethics' is a misnomer and 'style' is what is intended. Indeed the use of 'ethics' is pretty rate nowadays compared to 'style'.
> I was thinking about the use of the term "ethics" when I read the piece. Ethics. Def: moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity. How was/is yo-yoing morally superior to redpointing? Wouldn't `style' be a more honest distinction? (*runs away quickly*)
Ultimately he chose to do it in a style that trumped the redpoint and yoyoing.
Contributed, I would say, rather than laying foundations. However, I would say the adoption of the french redpoint style for sport routes in the UK certainly helped provide the clarity for headpointing to be defined and distinguished from the melee of existing 'dubious' tactics (frigging, dogging, etc). Alan Austin headpointed Wall of Horrors -- he just didn't know it!
Great article and film - I was surprided that there was seemimgly film of the solo - well done as I couldnt tell it wasnt old film. Good effort from NF too. Also I always did wonder how ALM got down after the solo - now all explained.
What I love most about this is the international friendship that it displays, that all climbing promotes and always has done. It smashes down all international boundaries, has contempt for all borders. Borders of all kinds: psychological, physical, and political. That, I believe, is the nature of climbing. <End of statement; I feel that it's so uncontroversial that there's no need to say any more about it.>
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