In reply to Mike Mead:
> (In reply to Neil Foster)
>
> [...]
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> Personally I think we should be applauding the fact that some mainland Europeans enjoy a trad outing now and again. And so what if it was a headpoint? It's quite a tricky route.
Careful Mike. There are numerous "mainland Europeans" who are outstanding trad climbers. We mustn't fall into the trap of thinking it is only Brits who do trad (a bit like thinking that it was the Rock and Ice who invented the hand jam!).
And I wasn't criticising his effort on what does indeed look like an outstanding wall, but merely wondering how someone could confuse top rope rehearsal of a trad route with the cleanest of styles.
Frankly I find the concept of de-bolting an established sport route before replacing it with a heavily practised "trad" headpoint (as Sonnie Trotter has done on some American routes) rather odd.
I certainly don't think it represents the great improvement in style which it is usually written up as.
Cheers
Neil