UKC

Despite the recent wet weather, on Friday 20th July Dave Birkett sent his latest project at Cam Crag, Wast Water, weighing in at E9 6c (5.14a x) .

Dave reckons it's by far the hardest thing he's done this year.

It was clear Dave was pretty gripped for the first half as he was breathing very heavily, his mental strength kicked in though as he kept it together in impressive style.

Alastair Lee reports, with PHOTOS at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Impressive. 5.14a X is amazing - the hardest E9 out there, most donot have 8b+ climbing on them. Is this true?

In reply to Agent Moog:

In addition, Rob Fielding got the third ascent of Nowt Burra Flee'in Thing, E8 6c, also at Cam Crag, on the same day.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Impressive. Onsite/ground up/headpointed?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

"and include repeats of routes initially graded E10 such as Breathless and Divided Years, and Dave MacLeod's Holdfast E9 7a."

Holdfast done with side runners that were not used on the FA. Strictly speaking it remains unrepeated at E9 7a.

In reply to 220bpm: headpointed. Stunning effort from the pair of them, especially given the weather we've been having.

In reply to GDes:

Agreed. Wonder why this thread gets so few responses?

The one about the feckin trailer of DB trying his project caused a proper hoo-ho. Is this news blah,whine.

Now he completes it and the silence is deafening.

I don't get this place sometimes?

In reply to 220bpm:

Maybe because there isn't much to say except wow that's amazing.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: weighing in at E9 6c (5.14a x) .


Liking the grade- 5.14a x gives much more info than E96c.

8b+ x might be more universally understandable but congratulations - a step in the right direction.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Who has attributed the 5.14a x grade to it Mick? You or Dave B?

I'm just interested as if it's really 8b+ with marginal gear (as this would imply) then perhaps E9 6c is a bit of a sandbag!? Certainly 8b+ with ground fall potential from the crux would have to get a higher E grade (in comparison to other E9s) would it not?

Bloody good effort whatever.

In reply to Simon Lee:

Has Dave actually said this is 8b+? I know the news report says 5.14a. If it is, and it it is sparsely protected, E9 is quite conservative.

In reply to 220bpm:


Clearly...

The News page get between 3,500 and 4,000 visits a day.

Many just read the News page and some Articles, and the Photo pages.

Those that visit the forums are a diverse bunch. Some visit everyday, some once a week. Some less than that.

Some readers access this site via the weekly newsletter: it goes out every Friday to 30,000.

Quite often, people just read and do not feel the need to comment. This doesn't mean that a particular news item or forum thread isn't being read.

One thread last week got 2,000 views and over 40 replies in three hours, others die a death.

Forums are odd and wonderful places, infuriating at times, full of whimsy, ignorance, rich in knowledge at times, questions are asked, connections are made, a source of debate, discussion and arguments, information is passed on by those who read them to those or who don't.

It is difficult to apply any solid principles to them or generalisations, they are as diverse as the people who contribute to them.

They are part of the UKClimbing.com mix.

Mick

In reply to seagull:


Look at the credit to the news report. I didn't write it, merely announced it down the forums.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Sorry. So I should be asking "Who has attributed the 5.14a x grade? Alastair Lee or Dave B?".

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

I know, Mick. Wasn't having a go about the report or anything!
Just baffles me how people can get a bit uppity about DB trying his project and that being reported as news (its is worthy reportable news IMO) and the resulting thread gets a few people on their high chairs.

But when he actually completes the ascent (BTW good point, 8b+ on dodgy gear, E9 sounds tight!) people wont say well done because......

"Maybe because there isn't much to say except wow that's amazing."

The enthusiasm is overwhelming......

In reply to 220bpm:


As regards the first report.

Tis the internet and its immeadiacy I think. In the past we were used to only reading about routes after they were done...or hearing about 'projects' by word of mouth.

In this medium, and this case with the video, we get to almost be a voyeur as routes are attempted.

I put the responses down to a bit of 'shock of the new' in the first report. Kind of an attitude, " well we haven't had routes reported before they were done before."

We had a similar dilema when Canadian Sonnie Trotter was attempting Rhapsody E11. I sat on the news as I thought it intrusive to publicise it - I imagined hoardes of specatators up there. Another climbing website ran a news report on it and then I followed.

Also, many of the main news gatherers are people like the Hot Aches crew and Posing Productions, and individual pro-climbers with their own blogs who want publicity for their 'products,' whether that product be publicity for a climbers sponsors or a new forthcoming video.

Things have changed a bit because of the internet and sites like UKClimbing.com. Just look at the news in the climbing print magazines, it is all old news, and rather than up the ante and do it in more depth they seem to be dropping the ball in favour of the easy life.

Interesting times.

The British are also reticent to congratulate as well. Although that is changing too.

Mick

In reply to seagull:

Grading translation mistake there seagull. Just spoke to Al.

News report being ammended.

Ta

Mick

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Cheers Mick. Thought it didn't quite add up. Looks a bloody scary proposition though. That video of Dave testing the gear should be enough to put most off!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
Cheers Mick, a well thought out and presented response. It answered many of the questions that were fleeing round inside my head. The scary world of advertising, PR etc and achieving a balance.

WRT Sonnie T at Dumby thats a bl**dy good point. I would rally have liked to go watch him work it, but it would have been a dilemma as whether to or not. On balance I would've given it a miss.

But when folks (DB) release vids into the Public Domain (Rock da Funky Beats 12" remix anyone, lol) then they have to expect (and desire!) the exposure created.