[gme]

Akira seems to have been universally dismissed from sports climbing history but without anyone ever actually trying it. I think access was an issue but it sounds like it isn’t now so I think it needs some attention before it is or isn’t confirmed.

[mrjonathanr]

Akira seems to have been universally dismissed from sports climbing history but without anyone ever actually trying it.

This ^

[duncan]

If you’ve not read it, this piece in Climbing makes the case for Rouhling and Akira.

[Davo]

Strange. I thought it was generally accepted that he did it and that it was more of a boulder Route like Pilgrimage or the thing in the cave in the Grampians. I thought also that the main issue was that he used a route grade for it and put a big number out there at a time when that grade didn’t exist. Also according to that article he spent a very long time on it.

[oldfella]

Pretty Significant-
Climbing 7c with no fingers.
 


https://www.instagram.com/p/CHLEvTIjGGa/?igshid=svojwcp2c63z

[gme]

Strange. I thought it was generally accepted that he did it and that it was more of a boulder Route like Pilgrimage or the thing in the cave in the Grampians. I thought also that the main issue was that he used a route grade for it and put a big number out there at a time when that grade didn’t exist. Also according to that article he spent a very long time on it.

That isn’t the case unfortunately. It was dismissed in the same manner as Chilam Balam and a lot of his ascents had ? Next to them.
Classic case of routes given high grades but in obscure areas, repeating hard routes but no witnesses, top climbers not able to do his routes. Sounds similar.
I always thought it wasn’t right though as no one ever actually went and tried them.

[submaximal gains]

Seb Bouin commented on Hugh and Akira on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CHBK3v0DgvQ/

""Hugh" First French 9a ✔️
Vintage Rock Tour

What a special route, a special place, and a special moment.
We came back from the vintage rock tour week in the historical crag les eaux claires.
I had three big objectives for this step : "Hugh"as first French 9a, "Akira" proposed as first world 9b, and "de l'autre côté du ciel" 9a. These three routes have a special style, the " @fredrouhling style". Big impressive moves on big holds. It's quite cool to try these impressive routes.
We got a really bad weather (raining all days, except the last one). I was lucky enough to send Hugh before the end of the trip (video coming on the next VRT episode 😀). Yet I couldn't send other projects. I spent one climbing day on "Akira" and 4 goes on "de l'autre côté du ciel".
Situation is a bit weird due to the quarantine here. We had to come back.
Yet, professional sportman can continue to practice.
So I will check how it really works, but I will maybe go back to finish the job if it's possible 🤙."

[Fiend]

Nice shot. I remember the Climbing article being pretty interesting.

[mrjonathanr]

Cool, I always thought Rouhling got a rather sour press tbh, sounded like his ascents could be legit.

The professional sportsman thing is strange - is he not one? Elite sport climbing/training in UK continues next month, after all.

[Fiend]

Re-read that article, it is a pretty glowing endorsement, chipping aside. It got me wondering what the difference was between Fred and, say, The G (apparently very strong, dark horse, cutting edge but weird ascents in local area). And it seems to be that Fred was very keen to show his stuff, and give it a try, and that the routes / hybrids were clearly viable as lines, unlike what's been written about some of G's stuff.

There was a good video of Fred doing some burly pocket pulling on some water-worn cave, and also some absolutely heinous vertical sprag-ridden route. Will try to dig them up.

Edit: The ultimate in non-Quality, apart from the music, and heavily edited so no proof of anything, but pretty cool. Hopefully this is on Seb's or someone's radar too:

[Wood FT]

According to her own Instagram 'story', Julia Chanourdie has climbed her first 9b with Eagle 4 at St.Leger. 

https://www.instagram.com/juliachanourdie/

Awesome.

Route here -

[IanP]

According to her own Instagram 'story', Julia Chanourdie has climbed her first 9b with Eagle 4 at St.Leger. 

https://www.instagram.com/juliachanourdie/

Awesome.

Wow!!

[Duma]

Brilliant! Is this the one with some super weird french word play in the name?
Vid from back when Ondra was skinny.

[jwi]

Brilliant! Is this the one with some super weird french word play in the name?

yes, in addition, the route name should be written Eagle-4, even if a very similar word play works for Eagle 4.

Also, my happiness is tempered by jealousy that members of the national team are allowed to climb outside, but regular climbers are not.

[Wood FT]

Brilliant! Is this the one with some super weird french word play in the name?

yes, in addition, the route name should be written Eagle-4, even if a very similar word play works for Eagle 4.

Also, my happiness is tempered by jealousy that members of the national team are allowed to climb outside, but regular climbers are not.

I was wondering how they were out climbing

[jwi]

"Professional" climbers are allowed to climb outside.

This applies to athletes on the governmental list of top athletes. By curiosity I looked through the list, and only climbers currently involved in the national teams or very promising young climbers are on the list. No one who is not competing is on the list.

"Professional" also applies to guides and rock-climbing instructors, who can climb to maintain technical and physical abilities.

[teestub]

Owner of ever more impressive Nick Oliveri inspired facial hair, Niky Ceria repeated J Webb's 8C+ Ephyra (next to From the Dirt)

[Bradders]

If that's not a display of total mastery I don't know what is. He's in cruise control. Amazing stuff.

[Andy F]

Well, he made that look piss 

[monkey boy]

He also repeated Jimmy's La Rustica last week which I think is 8C now,

[Nibile]

If that's not a display of total mastery I don't know what is. He's in cruise control. Amazing stuff.

Yes.

[andy_e]

Love how he hangs for about a minute, before deciding where to put his foot. He makes the top-out slab look like the hardest bit.

[Duma]

He also repeated Jimmy's La Rustica last week which I think is 8C now,

Has it not always been?

Love Niky just going out on his own and doing all this stuff with no fanfare and cheerleaders.


the tension at 40s in that vid, and the casual way he holds the position to spot the feet at 55s, is just mental.

Little write up on his IG: https://www.instagram.com/niky_ceria/?hl=en

[JamieG]

Love how he hangs for about a minute, before deciding where to put his foot. He makes the top-out slab look like the hardest bit.

In the FA video Jimmy Webb gets some good Elvis leg on the top slab. Good to know that even the best suffer a bit of a gibber now and then.



Slab top out from about 4.20. Full FA from 3.30.

[monkey boy]

He also repeated Jimmy's La Rustica last week which I think is 8C now,

Has it not always been?

Love Niky just going out on his own and doing all this stuff with no fanfare and cheerleaders.


the tension at 40s in that vid, and the casual way he holds the position to spot the feet at 55s, is just mental.

Little write up on his IG: https://www.instagram.com/niky_ceria/?hl=en

No Jimmy originally gave La Rustica 8B+ I think.

Not a significant repeat but significant FA by Jakob doing the direct finish to Force Tranquille in Magic Woods, sorry if this has been mentioned already.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr82TsVOEXk&feature=youtu.be