Mike Adams has added a sit-start to One Clear Moment (f8A) 8A+ to create a new 8B at Forest Rock, Leicestershire.

Mike told UKC:

'I've been climbing at Forest Rock a lot recently. It's only 45mins down the motorway for me and after a break doing harder boulder problems it's been a great place to visit to test myself again. It is steep, generally with good holds that very often face in awkward directions. This makes for interesting, powerful climbing with unusual movement. I have been slowly working my way through all of the problems there inside the main cave.'

After climbing the sit start to Lucid interval (f7C) 8A, Mike noticed a possible line up the wall to the right, which leads directly upwards while avoiding the arête and holds to the left. Early in January, Mike managed to clean the standing start at 8A+, which he quickly ticked. He set his sights on the obvious sit-start.

Mike commented:

'I managed to work out the moves OK and I wrongly assumed that the sit would go quite fast as well. However, the sit moves actually turned out to add quite a lot of difficulty. The moves are hard and quite delicate and you are on the rock for a long time - for a boulder problem! This meant I was powering out on the top powerful cut off and campus moves.'

Mike ended up being busy with work and family committments and had to battle to get the important factors to line up; time, good conditions, dry holds and feeling good. He explained:

'I just kept going there and one of those factors wasn't right! Eventually after about 7 session over four or five weeks, I managed to match the top holds and get it done.

'I wouldn't say power endurance is a strong point of my bouldering so I felt pretty pleased to get this done. I gave this 8B as the sit adds quite a bit. I reckon it's also harder to link than the two other main 8A+'s there.'

Summing up development at Forest Rock, Mike commented:

'It seems like an exciting time at the cave at the moment. Lots of people are working on new things. I have a few new variation style problems I'd like to try and do myself. The scene down there is good and supportive; it's exciting to feel a part of it all.'

On 3rd February, Forest Rock regular and GB team member Orrin Coley repeated the One Clear Moment Sit Start.

Mike is a frequent first ascensionist of hard boulder problems, with three 8C first ascents to his name: Serenata at Impossible Roof and the full version of Bordello and Serenation, both near Anston.

Mike is sponsored by: Beta Climbing Designs, Snap and Tenaya