[dave]

BIG BANG

caf

nuf said

AWOOGA!!

[nik at work]

Splendid 

[Doylo]

I wasn't there for the ascent but here is some footage of some attempts:

[account_inactive]

Monster! Any thoughts on the grade?  This must be the most significant 2011 ascent, non?

[Doylo]

i don't think he has a clue about that! The tops much easier than the mooted font 7c+ though apparently

[markmcgowan01]

 

[ducko]

This is mega exciting! finially a repeat! awsome effort!

[Robsons]

Qualtiy stuff!!!

[Johnny Brown]

The tops much easier than the mooted font 7c+ though apparently

V6 with the secret thumb beta according to Caff! Chinny Reckon!!

[nai]

This must be the most significant 2011 ascent, non?

That was my thought too, maybe we need a list.

[Doylo]

The tops much easier than the mooted font 7c+ though apparently

V6 with the secret thumb beta according to Caff! Chinny Reckon!!

It was Ben Moon who called it 7c+ after a brief go but if you look at the pics he's doing it completely different to Caff going up off the pocket with his left instead of his right.  I bet Neil Carson cracked the easiest sequence as he spent 2 years on it.  Caff said font 7a+ at one point but i think that can be taken with a big pinch of salt!

[nai]

http://dmmclimbing.com/news/2011/07/mchaffie-makes-historic-repeat/

[Doylo]

Good effort to that guy who cracked Statement too, i've seen him trying it for 14 years!

[petejh]

  Outstanding 15-year project effort!


Caff's ascent is impressive too 

[IanP]

Amazing effort by James - doesn't this deserve it's own thread, the first 9a repeat in the UK by anyone other than AO!  Interesting to see what happens when someone who is often mentioned as one of the most talented climbers in the country really puts the effort into a hard project.

BTW - Keith in yellow looks like Keefe Murphy (confirmed by checking UKC logbooks), good effort but based on his tick list over the last year or 2 I wouldn't imagine it was really the culmination of a 14 year seige. A very good climber who must be one of the top 'real' vet climbers (50+) in the country.

[Grubes]

This must be the most significant 2011 ascent, non?

That was my thought too, maybe we need a list.

First female E9
First Ground up E10
First UK 9a repeated by brit
Longhope route freed

Its been a good year so far!

[nai]

Longhope route freed

I'd missed that one, so making up an even 10, the contenders with five months remaining:

Caff - Big Bang - 2nd ascent
Hazel Findlay - Once Upon A Time In The SouthWest - first girly E9
Shauna Coxsey - Pilgrim - first girly 8 in the UK
Lu W - Austrian Oak - not sure whether it's a first female 8b, guess not as there wasn't a lot of fuss?
Beastyfella - Dandelion Mind FA - 8B+ without landing on a badger
James P - Muy Caliente - E10 GU 2nd attempt
Emma Twyford - Statement flash
DMac - Longhope Route FFA
Iain Farrar - Bed of Procrustes - sick 8B wall climbing
Johnny - accidentally putting up a new slate E7 OS

[Bonjoy]

Fuckin' nice one Caff!! 

[SA Chris]

I'd missed that one, so making up an even 10, the contenders with five months remaining:

Caff - Big Bang - 2nd ascent
Hazel Findlay - Once Upon A Time In The SouthWest - first girly E9
Shauna Coxsey - Pilgrim - first girly 8 in the UK
Lu W - Austrian Oak - not sure whether it's a first female 8b, guess not as there wasn't a lot of fuss?
Beastyfella - Dandelion Mind FA - 8B+ without landing on a badger
James P - Muy Caliente - E10 GU 2nd attempt
Emma Twyford - Statement flash
DMac - Longhope Route FFA
Iain Farrar - Bed of Procrustes - sick 8B wall climbing
Johnny - accidentally putting up a new slate E7 OS

Don't forget the amazing winter climbs done too;

http://www.scottishwinter.com/?p=1992

been quite a year for British climbing.

[chris_j_s]

Bloody hell, amazing repeat James!   

[Jaspersharpe]

 

[Grubes]

Lu W - Austrian Oak - not sure whether it's a first female 8b, guess not as there wasn't a lot of fuss?

Emma Twyford also climbed predator back in april but I guess that was not a first either

[Pantontino]

I bumped into Caff in the Llandudno Junction supermarket just after he'd done the deed - suffice to say he was psyched out of his mind!!! Said he'd just booked 9 days off work to make sure he did it and now he was left twiddling his thumbs.

Saturday was so warm, the last day you'd expect a hard redpoint to go down. Incredible effort!

[SA Chris]

Like Caff would sit around twiddling his thumbs.

[Pantontino]

If I was him I'd be getting the beers in and putting my feet up for a while...but that's probably one of the (many) reasons why he has climbed F9a and I haven't!