Bristol based climber Chris Savage has just finished his summer climbing holiday in Yorkshire, where he managed an incredible ticklist. The highlights have been a fast redpoint of Progress (8c+) and True North (8c) at Kilnsey Crag (See earlier UKC report on True North).

Commenting at the end of his trip, Chris said:

"I'll be driving back to Bristol with a big smile on my face... I think the routes up here have really suited my style."

Speaking specifically about Progress, Chris said:

"I got all the moves on the route, including the crux, in a couple of sessions - but it's a real stamina test. To begin with, when I had done all the moves quickly, I thought it would only take me a couple of days to send. But I had underestimated the stamina needed so in the end it took me 6 days."

VIDEO: Chris Savage climbing Progress 8c+ - Kilnsey

Chris told us the history of Progress:

"The route was Tony Mitchell's project in the early 1990s. But it was Jerry Moffatt that got the first ascent. Tony never climbed it - he fell off a the move on the roof at 24m - very unlucky! Nick Sellars did send it in 96 or 97 - taking him 24 days over three years. Nick and Jerry graded it 8c - and they were the only people to climb it before the holds snapped in 1997, making the route harder.

Then Steve McClure climbed it in 2006 - after the holds had snapped - and graded it 8c+. And now me!

So the route has only seen 4 ascents in total, and just 2 since the holds snapping."

1. Progress - 8c+ (6 days)
2. True North - 8c (6 days)
3. Dalliance - 8b+ (4th go)
4. All out - 8b+ (4 days)
5. Yorkshire Ripper 8b - (in a day)
6. La Connection - 8b (second go)
7. Ecstasy - 8b (second go)
8. Grooved Arete 8a+ (second go)
9. GBH - 8a+ (Malham, second go)
10. Urgent Action - 8a+ (flash)
11. Rattle and Hump - 8a (Raven Tor)
12. Unleashing the Wild Physique - 8a (Cheedale, in a day)
13. Raindogs - 8a (Malham)
14. Soft Option - 8a (in a day)
15. The Bulge - 8a (0nsight)
16. Subculture - 8a (flash)
17. The thumb - 8a (onsight)
18. Le Lapin - 8a (flash)
19. Cold Steel - 8a

Chris is sponsored by Sterling Rope.