UKC

Strawberries Gets Onsighted

© Jack Geldard
Jack Geldard

This has been read 21,462 times
Dutch climber Jorg Verhoeven had a lovely, if slightly blustery, morning climbing a few routes at Craig Bwlch y Moch, Tremadog earlier ths week.

"I climbed One Step in the Clouds (VS), The Weaver (E2), Strawberries (E7) and Cream (E4). It's hard to say which is the best route, it's either The Weaver or One Step. Pulling round on to that slab on One Step was fantastic, such great rock, with all the hidden holds and cracks." commented Jorg.

Jorg Verhoeven, Albert Leichfried and Sarah Burmester hanging out at Eric's Cafe, Tremadog © Jack Geldard
Jorg Verhoeven, Albert Leichfried and Sarah Burmester hanging out at Eric's Cafe, Tremadog
© Jack Geldard

Jorg Verhoeven checking his guidebook for more routes after a good morning on Bwlch y Moch! © Jack Geldard
Jorg Verhoeven checking his guidebook for more routes after a good morning on Bwlch y Moch!
© Jack Geldard
Jorg climbed Strawberries completely onsight, placing the gear as he climbed. Jorg thought that routes like Ulysses (E6) at Stanage were a tougher challenge than Strawberries, due to the technical and unprotected style.

When told that 'everyone' falls off Strawberries he said:

"It's a great route. I guess people have just been unlucky. I really enjoyed it."

Strawberries (sometimes graded E6, often considered E7) is a tough but safe route taking a striking crackline on the Vector headwall of Craig Bwlch y Moch at Tremadog. It was first climbed by Ron Fawcett back 1980.  The first ascent without pre-placed gear was by Johnny Woodward in 1982 and the first (and until this week only) on sight was by Stefan Glowacz in 1987.

German super-star climber Stefan Glowacz, who was also climbing at Tremadog the morning that Jorg onsighted Strawberries (Glowacz was enjoying the classic route of Vulcan!), responded to the joke that his 'crown' had been taken:

"Time moves on man!" he laughed.

Although Jorg didn't struggle with the route, it has seen off many good climbers over the years and is still awaiting a British onsight. But who will it be? UKC's money is on Steve McClure, mainly because almost everyone else has already fallen off it!


Stefan Glowacz on the first onsight of Strawberries, Tremadog © Uli Wiesmeier
Stefan Glowacz on the first onsight of Strawberries, Tremadog
© Uli Wiesmeier

Jorg, who isn't that well known in the UK, has had a couple of trips to the gritstone over the last few years, but this was his first time in North Wales. Jorg was visiting with the Marmot team (see UKC announcement) and staying at Plas y Brenin. Unfortunately he didn't get the best weather, but did also manage a slightly soggy ascent of T-REX at Gogarth.

Jorg won the overall Lead World Cup back in 2008, has flashed several F8c routes and has climbed Font 8B.

On a previous quick trip to the grit he onsighted Paralogism (E7) at The Roaches, and he has also climbed Shine On (E7) at Stanage.

RELATED VIDEO: Jorg Verhoeven climbing the Mandala Sit Start

 


Jorg Verhoeven is sponsored by Marmot, La Sportiva, Petzl.

You can read more about him on his website: JorgVerhoeven.com

This post has been read 21,462 times

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Comments

Adam Long
26 May, 2011
The line I've always heard is that there is a move at the end of the crux section which is very hard to read. You have to slap for a hold, but what looks like a hold isn't, and the real hold is much harder to spot. Go for the wrong one and you're off unless you have a LOT still in the tank.
Tom Briggs
26 May, 2011
It's true, it's very hard to read the moves out of the top of the crack and they are the sort of sidepully moves that are totally committing and would be desperate to reverse. It's 'only' F7c+ climbing if you have it wired, but it remains a really hard route to on-sight. It's not like it's completely 'safe' either, as it's desperate to get the gear in through the crux section, so actually there's a massive runout - hence the iconic photo of Glowacz 15 feet above his last piece! I don't know why it's given the split grade... I can only think the dark forces of Wesh guidebook writing are at work. It's solid E7!
john arran
26 May, 2011
There was a spate of hard routes at the time which were clearly harder than the E6 they were given. Beau Geste and Ulysses are other examples. I think it was because these were some of the first routes to be worked repeatedly (either on top-rope or by yoyo) by talented climbers before they were successful, and people at the time didn't appreciate quite how much harder you could climb after working a route well. They're all solid E7 at least for a genuine onsight.
Duncan Campbell
26 May, 2011
Niiice! heard about this yesterday, and was well interested to see who had crushed it!! Is there any video footage?? DC
Ian Patterson
26 May, 2011
2 facts in the report the may be related: 'Although Jorg didn't struggle with the route, it has seen off many good climbers over the years ' 'Jorg ... has flashed several F8c routes '
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