[Fiend]

Sick heels on that, the strong flexible bastard!

[Doylo]

He's on fire right now!

[abarro81]

Bet the heel beta isn't as easy as he makes it look!

[Doylo]

No true. He's a heel wad too.

[Three Nine]

Fuck me makes the hard move on POB look 5a

[ducko]

Good effort, much prefer the throw method personally, this way is still hard though!

[SA Chris]

Bet the heel beta isn't as easy as he makes it look!

It's da shoes I tells ya!

[Doylo]

At least there's no kneebars on it.

[Nike Air]

Tanya Meredith has made the first female ascent of the Craigy Longridge Traverse ! 
Quality shuffling!

[T_B]

Great stuff!

Desert Island Climb: I’d pick Traverse of the Gods at Longridge....I’ve climbed there a lot and I’ve still not finished it yet, so it would keep me busy for a while! Plus when you’ve done it one way, there’s always the harder version from right to left.

From http://www.wildcountry.com/profile/tanya-meredith

[Teaboy]

It is great, really please for her as a lot of hard work has gone into it and as someone who has still failed to do the second fifth I'm in awe of anyone being able to hang on for that long! I was lucky enough to turn up just as she was finishing the final section and it was great to see the smile at the end. Reminds me to knuckle down and send some projects.....

[Stu Littlefair]

Following the events of the last few days there's been a fair amount of discussion chez Littlefair about the response to male/female ascents.

Just thought I'd point out that,  w.r.t the top British and world standards, this is at least as significant as some bloke climbing 9a.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[andy_e]

I'm in awe of anyone being able to hang on for that long!

This I agree with. I can't even walk along the base of the crag that far without getting pumped! Fantastic effort.

[abarro81]

First: nice one Tanya.
Stu: it's not quite the same 'cos it's a trav. E.g. had you done Finest Pedigree I'd predict that you would have got less of a response than Rainshadow, even though it's harder.
p.s. she got more shares than you on FB

[abarro81]

Actually, thinking about this, would we not expect a disproportionate response to 'equivalent' (in terms of relative to top level not actually doing the same grade) male ascents than female ones on the basis that a disproportionate amount of climbers/forum members are male, and are more likely to be interested in things which are (a) harder in an absolute sense and (b) done by people who more closely reflect themselves thus giving hope/inspiration/whatever. This is similar to the fact that I don't care when a 15 year old climbs something unless it's virtually newsworthy irrespective of age, whilst 15 year olds do.. (I agree this analogy breaks down a little due to the huge coverage Jens affords to the latest 12 year old climbing something)

[Teaboy]

I think possibly, if we are just comparing the responses to Stu and Tanya's ascents, it's because Stu and Rainshadow is known to everyone on this board whereas Tanya and Traverse of the Gods less so. If we are talking more generally I've no idea, I would see an 8b+ ascent by a woman the equivalent of a 9a ascent by a bloke (in UK terms).

Conversely I am totally unmoved by most ascents that have been reported by UK youngsters, whilst very good I see no reason why a 15 year old shouldn't be climbing 8a and upwards given that most have been training indoors, with coaches etc, with a focus on performance for years.

[Grubes]

p.s. she got more shares than you on FB

Well done tanya
some one needs to update this thread

[dave]

Thing is, hard though the longridge traverse is, it isn't a F8b+ route, it's a boulder problem traverse, and as such is a lesser proposition than a F8b+ route. (But still a good effort regardless of the gender of the ascensionist).

[abarro81]

Actually in my experience travs that get route grades are typically a similar proposition to their route counterparts of the same grade. The travs will often be physically harder but allowances will have been made since most of us basically grade things based on how difficult they have felt to do, rather than how difficult they are, if ya get me. ToTG was for me, for example, comparable to stuff like Tom et je ris and a bit harder than Black Bean which are both similar style (8b+ and 8b/+ >=65m) that I did at the same time. Physically Pilgrimage is a step harder than Progress or Kaabah but as a proposition it deserves the same grade, hence all are 8c+ IMO....
I appreciate that this seems to work well for me being a route climber. People who are bad with a rope on may of course feel differently.

But the point about travs garnering less interest is true.

[abarro81]

And yes, I did just write that post so I could point out that Stu hasn't done any these routes 'cos he's shit.

[dave]

Actually in my experience travs that get route grades are typically a similar proposition to their route counterparts of the same grade. The travs will often be physically harder but allowances will have been made since most of us basically grade things based on how difficult they have felt to do, rather than how difficult they are, if ya get me. ToTG was for me, for example, comparable to stuff like Tom et je ris and a bit harder than Black Bean which are both similar style (8b+ and 8b/+ >=65m) that I did at the same time. Physically Pilgrimage is a step harder than Progress or Kaabah but as a proposition it deserves the same grade, hence all are 8c+ IMO....
I appreciate that this seems to work well for me being a route climber. People who are bad with a rope on may of course feel differently.

But the point about travs garnering less interest is true.

All this just goes to prove me point that boulder problem traverses should be graded with bouldering grades not route grades, cos that's what they are.

[36chambers]

Actually, thinking about this, would we not expect a disproportionate response to 'equivalent' (in terms of relative to top level not actually doing the same grade) male ascents than female ones on the basis that a disproportionate amount of climbers/forum members are male, and are more likely to be interested in things which are (a) harder in an absolute sense and (b) done by people who more closely reflect themselves thus giving hope/inspiration/whatever. This is similar to the fact that I don't care when a 15 year old climbs something unless it's virtually newsworthy irrespective of age, whilst 15 year olds do.. (I agree this analogy breaks down a little due to the huge coverage Jens affords to the latest 12 year old climbing something)

for me, it's similar to the strength-to-weight discussion of weight lifters. Of course it's very impressive for someone in a lighter category to lift 200% of their body weight, but I still can't help being more impressed in the big guys who lift the highest numbers, regardless of if it's only 150% of his body weight.

bigger numbers > smaller numbers

   

[abarro81]

Rather you than me when it comes to be grade conversions Dave. I can tell you how ToTG felt compared to those other things but in no sensible way can I tell you how hard it is compared to short boulders!

[Muenchener]

Doing the "redpoint" may be similar (head issues aside) but working a traverse is logistically far easier than working a route. You simply step on to the bit you want to work, without having to climb / frig / stick clip / generally expend time and energy getting to that point.

Not that I want to belittle Tanya's achievement; I've only been to Longridge once and it looked like a bloody long way from one one to t'other.

As others have said, I think we're all well aware that 9a isn't cutting edge, but Stu is a regular here and we feel it's a big achievement for "one of us" - even those of us like me who've never actually met him.

[abarro81]

Doing the "redpoint" may be similar (head issues aside) but working a traverse is logistically far easier than working a route. You simply step on to the bit you want to work, without having to climb / frig / stick clip / generally expend time and energy getting to that point.

Yes, which is why the climbing is usually harder for the same grade:

Actually in my experience travs that get route grades are typically a similar proposition to their route counterparts of the same grade. The travs will often be physically harder but allowances will have been made since most of us basically grade things based on how difficult they have felt to do, rather than how difficult they are, if ya get me. ToTG was for me, for example, comparable to stuff like Tom et je ris and a bit harder than Black Bean which are both similar style (8b+ and 8b/+ >=65m) that I did at the same time. Physically Pilgrimage is a step harder than Progress or Kaabah but as a proposition it deserves the same grade, hence all are 8c+ IMO....
I appreciate that this seems to work well for me being a route climber. People who are bad with a rope on may of course feel differently.

The allowances effectively being for the fact that they're easy to work.