Manchester-based, GB Junior coach Jack Palmieri has made the 3rd ascent of Silk Cut (V14) (8B+) in Parisella's Cave. The problem was originally climbed by Neil Dyer and was subsequently repeated by Pete Robins, but has had no ascents since 2009. It links together three problems; Lou Ferrino (V10) (7C+), Halfway House (V11) (8A+) and Upper Cut (V8+) (7B+) for a slightly highball finish.
Jack climbed Director's Cut (V13) (8B) earlier in the year (the shorter version of Silk Cut, where you don't finish up Upper Cut) and had wanted to return to finish Silk Cut for a while, although struggled to track down enough pads for the top section. Eventually, he persevered by himself and worked Upper Cut above just a couple of pads.
Jack told us: 'I went back one day alone and did it above just a couple of pads, topping out the easy but pretty loose groove was definitely good fun, this meant the link was on.
'I had come really close to doing it on quite a few occasions having climbed Director's Cut only to fall off the moves of Upper Cut around the lip. As I was getting close, work commitments with the GB Junior Climbing Team called and I went to L'Argentiere for the European Youth Cup for a week.The trip was great and the weeks rest (at least for my body) probably helped, and I came back really keen to finish it off.'
Once back in the UK, Jack chose another link in the Cave which hadn't been climbed and used it as training. The problem had the same start and finish as Silk Cut, and gave him a slight edge in terms of fitness.
'It went on the first go of my next session, despite me not climbing it particularly well at all.'
Commenting on the grade of the problem, Jack said: 'Neil Dyer and Pete Robins are the only two others to have done this, I believe in 2008 and 2009 respectively. At the time, I believe both thought it to be 8B+. Since then some doubt has been placed upon if it was 8B+ or hard 8B. Director's Cut alone is seen as hard 8B, and I think the extra climbing at the top although not that hard certainly adds quite a bit of difficulty. Pete said at the time 'Eventually you have to cross over to the next grade' and I'd say this was kind of the case with this link.'
Jack now plans to get back in his cave and finish off Pilgrimage (V14), which he's been close to climbing previously.
Here's a video of Neil Dyer on the first ascent
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