Hans Florine emailed us at UKClimbing.com yesterday thanking us for our interest and support of his and Yuji Hirayama's attempt to break the Nose speed record set by Thomas and Alexander Huber at two hours and 45 minutes (2:45:45) last October.

Florine and Hirayama on their third attempt last week managed 2 hours, 47 minutes and 30 seconds - the fastest non-German ascent!

Tomorrow is the big day for Hans Florine and Yuji Hirayama. Will they beat the Hubers? Yuji has said that sometime in the future a sub-2 hour ascent will be achieved.

We wish them all the best (luck has nothing to do with it).

Photo of the time and the climbers to beat: Alex and Thomas Huber, a stopwatch, the time and the tree.

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The first ascent of the Nose was achieved by Warren Harding, Wayne Merry, and George Whitmore on November 12th, 1958. It took 45 days work on the route over 18 months. The final push took 11 days. The first one day ascent was by Jim Bridwell, John Long and Billy Westbay in 1975. It took them about 17 hours and 40 minutes.