[Greg C]

I heard a rumour this morning that Blackpool Sam has done The Ace and Voyager (not to mention Isla De Encanta), anyone confirm this? Incidentally, I was told he did The Ace in 2009! If this is the case then, whilst I know he doesn't like to be in the press, surely this should be put in the repeats record books? If this is correct, good effort Sam!

[Nick B]

Effort! Any videos? Love to see Isla climbed!

[Probes]

  oooo the rumour mill grinds away.

Im pretty sure 99%, he did ace donkeys ago, did voyager from stand up over chrimbo, but he hasnt done isle, he cant do the first move i think.

[carlisle slapper]

I'm 98% sure he didn't do the Ace in 2009, as i asked him in my winter round up on the 21st Dec 2009 and i quote word for word.

SAM

"I don't have a huge ticklist sheet as i don't really keep a record. If The Ace is the sitter to a one move wonder off two crimps then I haven't done it. I never mantled it!! because of the big rock underneath it. (yep a big girl). Just out of interest who told you?"

So either he has got confused due to his lack of record keeping and frequent blackouts from trying so hard or he has forgotten he didn't do it and what he said to me. Or he went back in the next 9days. or he did it in 2010. And i think Greg is getting sick of hearing all this.

His sequence on texas holdem sit is also news worthy as it is at least 8B.

Heaviest ascent of voyager by 15kgs easily...

[Greg C]

What a beast! And don't be bitter Dan, the Blackpool crusher has brought his (massive) guns to bear on your so called 'hard grit'!  No spotters, no cameras, no fuss! Awesome.

[Probes]

100% done the ace, just spoke to him.

I find that a bit of a strange statement mate... "and i think greg is getting sick of hearing all this" ?

[carlisle slapper]

when did he do it?

[Probes]

Dunno, he just said he'd done it.

[dobbin]

He's a witch! burn him!

[Probes]

when did he do it?

Dan no doubt your conversation happened. Sam did spend a while on the grit that year.

[carlisle slapper]

we'll it was obviously after email correspondence then. When at the very end of 2009, with 10days remaining, he told me he hadn't done it, the weather was really poor at the end of december too, (from the 19th to early Jan was around when we had huge dumps of snow prior to the snow balling, nearly the whole country was unclimbable except a few coastal venues and the odd sheltered problem). And now people seem to be under the impression he did it in 09 (greg could maybe clarify this), so i'd say its worth getting straightened out.

[The Aaronator]

To set the record straight....Sam climbed the Joker topping out no problem, he then tried the sit start, The Ace, on the same day but did not top it out as his mat got blown from under him and he jumped from the lip. So, no he has not climbed The Ace and has not been back to try it.

[Greg C]

He told my source categorically that he'd done The Ace (just asked him). Therefore it seems a bit weird that you are saying he didn't, could you be mistaken? Pretty sure he said he'd done Isla too  Ah well, still a good effort doing the Joker and Voyager stand-up - that's still 8b isn't it?

[carlisle slapper]

Cheers Aaron, that's sorted that then, no top no tick. Pesky rumours, sounds like even his mates are confused.

[Greg C]

100% done the ace, just spoke to him.

To set the record straight....Sam climbed the Joker topping out no problem, he then tried the sit start, The Ace, on the same day but did not top it out as his mat got blown from under him and he jumped from the lip. So, no he has not climbed The Ace and has not been back to try it.

He told my source categorically that he'd done The Ace (just asked him). Therefore it seems a bit weird that you are saying he didn't, could you be mistaken? Pretty sure he said he'd done Isla too  Ah well, still a good effort doing the Joker and Voyager stand-up - that's still 8b isn't it?

Hey wait a minute, what's going on here? So what's the deal? I guess if Aaron was at Stanage with Sam he knows the sketch.

[Johnny Brown]

I honestly can't imagine anyone backing off the top out of The Ace because their mat blew away. Sounds like chinese whispers/ rubbish to me.

[Nick B]

I honestly can't imagine anyone backing off the top out of The Ace because their mat blew away. Sounds like chinese whispers/ rubbish to me.

Are you insinuating that Chinese people can't whisper?

[The Aaronator]

There is no confusion here. I think at some point, someone got The Joker mixed up with The Ace, possibly Sam himself. I have spoken to him and he told me exactly what and how he did it, be it, with a little confusion and clarification over the names. And no, I was not with him at stanage.

I honestly can't imagine anyone backing off the top out of The Ace because their mat blew away. Sounds like Chinese whispers/ rubbish to me.

I don't think he simply backed off at the drop of a hat, I think the conditions on the day did not allow an easy top out and apparently there's a large and uncomfortable boulder directly underneath.

[Nigel]

I honestly can't imagine anyone backing off the top out of The Ace because their mat blew away. Sounds like chinese whispers/ rubbish to me.

I can't imagine anyone trying The Ace without a spotter! Never mind someone who wouldn't top out because their mat blew away (regardless of conditions on top). Any volunteers?

[dave]

There's jugs/decent flatties over the top on the joker thought innit? Unless they're covered in snow n shit.

[TN080]

To set the record straight....Sam climbed the Joker topping out no problem, he then tried the sit start, The Ace, on the same day but did not top it out as his mat got blown from under him and he jumped from the lip

I don't think he simply backed off at the drop of a hat, I think the conditions on the day did not allow an easy top out

Really....

[SA Chris]

Unless they're covered in snow n shit.

If they were covered in shit I wouldn't be topping out.

[The Aaronator]

To set the record straight....Sam climbed the Joker topping out no problem, he then tried the sit start, The Ace, on the same day but did not top it out as his mat got blown from under him and he jumped from the lip

I don't think he simply backed off at the drop of a hat, I think the conditions on the day did not allow an easy top out

Really....

...yes and you would also have read that his mat blew away...

[Bonjoy]

SAM

"I don't have a huge ticklist sheet as i don't really keep a record. If The Ace is the sitter to a one move wonder off two crimps then I haven't done it. I never mantled it!! because of the big rock underneath it. (yep a big girl). Just out of interest who told you?"

Hold on a minute The Ace is a stand start. Is this a mistake or did the guy almost do the project 8b+/c sit start in a session!!?

[Greg C]

There is no confusion here. I think at some point, someone got The Joker mixed up with The Ace, possibly Sam himself. I have spoken to him and he told me exactly what and how he did it, be it, with a little confusion and clarification over the names. And no, I was not with him at stanage.

Also, it does seem a little far fetched to suggest you would find yourself at Stanage, and subsequently on The Ace/Joker, without really knowing which was which and which one you'd done at the end of the day. Even I don't forget stuff like that... and I forget a fair bit.  Is he sure he was at Stanage and not Windy Clough?