[Ged]

Ali Kennedy lanked his way up Something's Burning (E9), Internationale (E7), Murcia Wall (E8), and Brothers Karasmov (E8) last weekend. His training for this beastly achievement involved carrying literally thousands of pairs of rock shoes around in his rucksack, with Easter Eggs to recover.

[T_B]

Just read that on UKC - great stuff.

Hi wife deserves some sort of award!

[dave]

Nice one Ali, you strong tall fuck.

Love how the UKC report describes him as..

Alasdair 'Ali' Kennedy

....as if "Ali" is a cryptic nickname that you might not understand.

[Will Hunt]

Will Buck repeated Path of Intrigue today.

[csl]

Heres a video of Path of Intrigue for anyone else who is wondering what it is... Brilliant looking climbing

[Ged]

Bloody hell that looks incredible. Presumably it's font 7C+?

[csl]

Think so, ukc article says "graded as either a highball 7C+ above pads or E6 7a with gear"

[dave]

Looks amazing, no danger of dabbing on that. What's the arete go at?

[SA Chris]

....as if "Ali" is a cryptic nickname that you might not understand.

Thanks David "Dave"

Best Regards, Christopher "Chris"

[Will Hunt]

Looks amazing, no danger of dabbing on that. What's the arete go at?

The left arête is Wolfschmidt at E3 6a. The original line on the right arête uses an indirect start at E4 6a (Werewolf). The direct is Troubled With Lycans (E5 6b).

I think the trad grades on most of these are a bit moot since you don't tend to get any gear until you're on the top jugs. It's more of a highballing venue.
Lots of good stuff to do there. Unfortunately I didn't bother to film Walter's Rib (classic of the crag E2) or In Memoriam (E4) but they're both good intros to the Wolfrey way.

[dave]

Thanks for that info William "Will" Hunt.

[monkey boy]

Maddy did Bat Route yesterday!

[ali k]

"Ali" is my gangster nickname.

[Kingy]

Pete Dawson did True North 1st redpoint this afternoon in about 2 hours. It was one of the most impressive redpoints I have seen. Pete had never been on the bottom pitch before, Full Tilt 8b. We gave him beta for all of True North and he went up it bolt to bolt in about 20 - 30 mins working out the moves. Then after 2 people had had their own redpoints, Pete did it from bottom to top!! Our jaws were pretty much on the floor when he lowered back down!  

[tim palmer]

How does this compare to Ian Vickers's ascent all those years ago? 

[Doylo]

Vickers did it in a few hours in 97 but I don't think it was first redpoint. Pete should get on a 9a+ surely !?

[Kingy]

I am just referring to the Vickers interview with Gaz from On the Edge 71 (Oct 97). It was first redpoint in 2 hours apparently.

From the interview, Ian says: "When I first dogged up it putting the clips in, I did every move bar the last slap but my feet were all wrong. On my second go I managed all the moves and some good links, so I went for the redpoint and found myself at the top"

It seems as though Ian's ascent was a first attempt to lead it after 2 goes up it. Pete's was also a first attempt to lead it but he had only been up it once.

Pete is keen on some of the harder lines at Kilnsey I understand.

[robertostallioni]

As I recall, Ste Mac did it in a shorter time (but may have been on full tilt- i dunno)

[Kingy]

Sounds from the interview like Ian may not have had much beta on his ascent. We gave Pete all of ours but he proceeded to ignore most of it!

[moose]

It would be cool if he got on on Wonderwall at Yew Cogur (proving hold breakage hasn't ruined  it) and give it a quick first repeat.  Didn't that route take Vickers tonnes of effort at the time he did True North? From what I understand, the 8b grade was completely arbitrary (there is an 8a at that crag he undergraded by a grade or two just to make the graded list look more even?!).

[robertostallioni]

hold breakage has ruined it, but said hold is currently sat in the palm of my left hand...
Dunnatron was gonna stick it back on, we'd better get round to it soon i guess.
Don't know if it took Ian "tonnes of effort" but its fooking hard, I know that. He took a pad down to work the start. You'd need to be strong and fit to do it, so Pete would fit the bill. Or Palmstrong if he comes out of retirement...

[Will Hunt]

Speaking of Yew Cogar, and this is just trivia, wasn't Vickers' E8 there (Happy Birthday to Yew) climbed onsight? And he just clipped the chains on the 7c below it at half height and took the rope for a walk up the crag placing no further protection? Or is that just myth?

[robertostallioni]

Rings a bell. I'll ask him

[Doylo]

Just reading the Vickers True North interview in OTE. It says True North was his first 8c which makes it even more ridiculous! Ahead of his time. And he didn't ever do anything harder cos he wasn't interested in seiging.

[Doylo]

He says it took a lot out of him mentally. After two dogs and one redpoint.....
Ye maybe redpointing wasn't for him...