Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell have knocked almost ten minutes off the previous speed record for climbing The Nose (C2) on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The pair completed the route and stopped the clock after just 2 hours, 10 minutes and 15 seconds (2:10:15), breaking Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds' record of 2:19:44 from October 2017.
Reporting in an Instagram post, multi-time Nose speed record holder Hans Florine shared a photo of the pair preparing for their attempt and later commented below the photo "They got it!" Florine was watching the ascent from the valley floor, while resting his injuries sustained during a recent aid climbing fall on The Nose.
Florine has appeared in the record books multiple times with various partners since 1990, including Honnold. In June 2012, he set a record of 2:23:46 alongside Honnold.
View previous records below:
© Wikipedia
Watch a video of Reynolds' and Gobright's 2017 record:
Comments
Given that these guys are still shaving time off the previous record in 10 minute increments, you can only wonder when we'll see the first sub 2 hour ascent of the nose.
This might be assuming too much, but I doubt for either of honnold/caldwell that the nose speed record was a long term goal for them. I'd imagine (particularly for honnold, given the jokey rivalry he has with brad gobright) that this was a goal they set in response to the previous record being set which was under a year ago. I'd be interested to see what would happen if these individuals were to train specifically for the nose record (at the exclusion of most other things) for an extended period to see if they could make a dent in 2 hours. Though, given how well rounded they are as climbers I wouldn't be too surprised if this didn't appeal to them.
It's truly incredible that humans can perform at this level! Which will happen first: sub 2 hour Nose or Marathon? :P
It's climbing, Jim, but not as I know it.
I'd be pleased to do 3 pitches in 2:10, let alone 31...
I’ve seen people taking longer on The Peapod at Curbar....
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