[uptown]

Nik and I tried Massala martyr at Kilnsey in poor conditions yesterday. The start uses the fabled English 7a problem to Mistaken identity, first climbed by Rob Gawthorpe in 1980. Both Nik and I had great fun swinging off the finishing jug and have vowed to return when the initial lefthand drag/pinch has more grip.

A few thoughts -
This sequence is real fun and deserves to be on any boulderers tick list for its great movement.
This problem has real significance in UK bouldering firsts - 1980 and I won't argue with the English 7a mooted, font 7c/+. (Stood the test of time whilst others haven't? - r-man list)
Rob Gawthorpe was a mega blocwad and should be recognised in our forefathers hall of fame.

He set some problems at one of the edge bloc comps a few moons back, and even then was pulling above his weight, does anyone know if he still climbs?
Anyhow - respect due for MI, WOB, CW blocstart, BTB and CS - all in the 1980's.

[GCW]

Anyhow - respect due for MI, WOB, CW blocstart, BTB and CS - all in the 1980's.

Right.  Mistaken Identity.  Walk on By.  Bernie the Bolt. China Syndrome.

What's CW?  Please assume I'm being thick.

[robertostallioni]

Central Wall.

[GCW]

Dib Dib Dib.

[uptown]

A couple of ageing hasbeens flailing miserably -



I think you'll agree it looks fun, wish us luck for next time.

[cofe]

Walk on By. 1980. Total legend as far as I'm concerned.

Nice vid btw - looks well jackson.

[Percy B]

Rob is an awesome climber, and one of the most twisted routesetters I have ever come across (there was always a Gawthorpe nasty in the old Edge comps). His ability on the rock, and his penchant for both the minging crimp and the horrific rock-over are still legendary. 

[nik at work]

That Massala Martyr move is brilliant, trying that pre-mats is just outrageous. Hero.

[robertostallioni]

Eh? You missed the fucker anyway!

[nik at work]

I didn't miss it, I just didn't hang on it for ages showboating...

OK that move will be brilliant if I ever keep hold of it, just hitting it and not hanging it is fun enough. I might take a spare pair of trollies in case I do hang it next time, could be messy.

[shark]

I didn't miss it, I just didn't hang on it for ages showboating...

The mat, not the hold, I think he meant.

[nik at work]

Oh yeah, god I'm thick.

Anyway maybe mats give you the confidence to set off, even if you can miss them, knowing they are there gives the confidence to go for the move. I certainly wouldn't be flinging myself repeatedly at that problem without a couple of mats despite having survived a mat free landing. LEG END.

[uptown]

LEG END.

Establishing the first font 7c / English 7a problem in 1980 was impressive, and what a good swing. The route Mistaken identity also takes in most of the hard section of the old MM (8a+) and as such is incredibly undergraded in the guides (E5 7a), surely clocking 7c+/8a or thereabouts without bolts? Does anyone have any knowledge on the route? Could it actually have been the first U.K. sport 8a? (albeit without bolts)
I ask this as I like the notion that a boulderer was blazing the way in terms of difficulty by NOT bolting a sport route, opting instead for the lightweight freeflow ethic. Raindogs take that! 

[Adam Lincoln]

Certainly an awesome move, and one of the best i have done of late. Up there with great limestone moves such as the crux on Vitruvian Man.

[tc]

Establishing the first font 7c / English 7a problem in 1980...

Haston's Dyno at the Breck (V10/ 7c+) was done in 1979 or 1980. I think he'd done a similarly hard problem in 1978.

[uptown]

Establishing the first font 7c / English 7a problem in 1980...

Haston's Dyno at the Breck (V10/ 7c+) was done in 1979 or 1980. I think he'd done a similarly hard problem in 1978.

Don't try to open that can of worms again tc, I'm talking about establishing the first 7c / English 7a problem (which could have been the first 7c+/8a route) in 1980 without shouting about it, not top-roping a 7c+ morpho dyno via a whack-sequence and then proclaiming superiority. 

Actually - I'm quite happy to say Stevie is God, though I reckon Rob Gawthorpe deserves some column inches for his efforts, non?

[cofe]

Establishing the first font 7c / English 7a problem in 1980...

Haston's Dyno at the Breck (V10/ 7c+) was done in 1979 or 1980. I think he'd done a similarly hard problem in 1978.

Don't try to open that can of worms again tc, I'm talking about establishing the first 7c / English 7a problem (which could have been the first 7c+/8a route) in 1980 without shouting about it, not top-roping a 7c+ morpho dyno via a whack-sequence and then proclaiming superiority. 

if we remove the wink, i'll agree with that........

[tc]

Fuck me, boys, please accept my sincerest apologies for speaking out of turn 

[Ru]

Tried this yesterday with Stu and fell off the last tricky move of MM to the jug mostly due to surprise in getting there. Stu crushed (using the pinch method). Anyway, I did the start using the sidepull/undercut right of the left-hand pinch - much easier this way, prob only 7b/+. I had to pop a little to hit the jug, but if I was an inch taller it would be totally static, and if you were 5'11"/6' ish you could reach with your feet in the break this way. I wonder how Gawthorpe did it?

2017 edit: there's no way this method is 7b/+. I couldn't do it yesterday. 7c/+.

[nik at work]

Nice one Stu (and Ru).

[uptown]

Anyway, I did the start using the sidepull/undercut right of the left-hand pinch - much easier this way, prob only 7b/+. I had to pop a little to hit the jug, but if I was an inch taller it would be totally static, and if you were 5'11"/6' ish you could reach with your feet in the break this way. I wonder how Gawthorpe did it?

I shall try this as you recommend Ru. When we first tried this we couldn't get up into the undercut as there were no dry right-hand holds to help. I noticed that this year is much dryer. Shame that both cruxes can be lanked. Easy (but great) tick for the tall?

[uptown]

And as Nik said, well done Stu and almost Ru.
That was almost a very good flash Ru, that last move is indeed quite surprising now.
The perfect boulderers route.

[Ru]

No I didn't nearly flash it. I'd already been up and checked out the end.

[Monolith]

This looks awesome. Where is it may I ask?

[priscilla wimbush]

Kilnsey.