[dobbin]

Following a debate with Messrs Moon and Simpson at Kudos wall on Saturday the following are unclear :

First ascent of sit start undercut thing to the left of the Press, I think Ru bagged the second and Ben did it twice on Sat. Who did it first? 8a?

First ascent of the Press sitter - 8a+ LH variant, I know Tim Clifford has done this and I think there have been a couple of ascents, so by whom and when?

[Ru]

I think that John Welford did the first ascent of the enticingly-named Left Sit Start to Bigger Splash Direct. He did it before both Ben and me, and was going to call it Tsunami (geddit), but never did for some reason.

I think he climbed through the sitter to the sloper then traversed right (a bit) onto the better holds, then up, whereas Ben and me went up straight off the sloper which is a little more direct, but I can't see this being much (if any) harder. And anyway, one of the nice things about the problem is that it is probably the easiest way up the wall from a sitter (I think), making it non-eliminate, and therefore good, so you should be allowed to tart about on the middle holds all you like. Andy Harris could shed more light on this I'm sure.

As for the left sit start to the press, my money's on Tim or Matt Birch.

[dobbin]

I think skinny rich from the foundry (real name anyone?) has also completed the sitter to the Press. I don't know if he heroically came in from the left or wimped out and did the right hand start but am informed he's done it.

I would argue that the easiest way to the top of the wall from your arse cheeks is the sitter to Kudos itself. Goes at about 7c+. And I did it on Saturday! hooray for me.

Can I have free stuff and a fake tan now?

[dave]

I would argue that the easiest way to the top of the wall from your arse cheeks is the sitter to Kudos itself. Goes at about 7c+. And I did it on Saturday! hooray for me.

yo dizzobbin, you're forgetting bigger splash, that goes to the top and starting it from sitting would still be like 7a+ or summert.

i thought the sitter to kudos wasn't supposed to add any grade?

[Ru]

Ok ok, I meant easiest way up that particular bit of wall from the sit start on the slot, not the easiest sit start problem on the Kudos wall full stop - which would be the pointless sitter to Bigger Splash.

Re sitter to Kudos, the Harris has it on his guide to the Kudos wall on cragx.com that the sitter adds no grade, however I thought it was definately harder with the sitter when i did it.

[irish si]

I think the sitstart to kudos hard way is easier than the stand up to kudos easy way. sort that one out boyz.

[dave]

aye, i think of all the stand-up problems on that wall with the exception of the sloper problem then kudos easy way seems the hardest (i.e. i ain't done it but done the rest).

[tc]

Historical bit: I did the kneeling start to the Press and Kudos (rockover method) back in 1995 (?) but was definitely NOT the first. Found them about as hard as each other if memory serves.

[irish si]

Low start to press is grades harder than low start to kudos hard. The move into kudos from low is relativy easy, the move into the press is DESPERATE to get properly established.

[Buoux 8C]

I was under the impression that ben did the 1st ascent of the sitter to Bigger splash, which is in my opinion similar or slightly easier than the kneeling start to the press. I think ben thought the same aswell but cant remember. The low left press is pretty hard around 8a/8a+ and the low right isnt much harder than the kneeling start to the press, so around 7c+/8a.
Ben found the low start to the press harder than the low start to bigger splash if i remember correctly, where as i found the low start to bigger splash harder than the low start to the press, but it was very greasy and i was doing it the sloper match way where as ben used the pocket to the right. So i guess their pretty much the same.
As for low start to kudos, i dont know, but the first move aint that hard so it shouldnt be much harder than the stand up.

A very good wall for bouldering, wish i would have gone sooner. i have tried the low start to the sloper problem, which is eliminate but very good moves, start at the low pocket, get sloper match then again the the pinchey slopey things and up to the jug. Is quite hard also around 8a+/8b i reckon. Has this been done before.

[Doylo]

Welford did the first ascent of Left sitter to bigger splash direct. I have beta that makes the left hand sitter a bit easier, go up to the sloper with your right then go again into the gnarly but good slot with your right and come up to the sloper thing with your left and away you go. I nearly did it this way, probably notches the grade down to 7c+ cos matching on the slopey hold is hard. You have to be lanky to do it like this though. Sit start to Kudos is never 7c+.

[Ru]

I did Low left Bigger Splash by matching the slopes at about 8a. I thought that Ben did it last autumn, and Welford I know did it before then, but if Ben did it earlier than this then who knows?

[Andy Harris]

Who'd have thought the Kudos wall would have waranted so much attention. The limestone renaissance is upon us (down with the grit, long live the lime!).

Maybe I can help out (and add few bits to the pot).

Low left start to the Press was originally done by Stuart Cameron many years ago and only seen a couple of repeats. 8a+

Low left start to Bigger Splash almost certainly done by John W a few years ago (very height / sequence dependant 7c+/8a, matching sloper harder than lanking it)

Low right start to Press done years ago, probably by Matt Birch, who then reversed the Kudos traverse, dropped into Kudos, but failed on the final rock over. 8a/8a+ and still not complete I think.

Low right start to Bigger Splash 7c/7c+ and very good.

Original sloper match was harder (pre-2000), as hold subsequently fell off, sikad on by Steve Fearne with all his skills as an antique restorer, but now slightly easier as join line gives an amazing ammount of grip.

Flat hold on Press start broke 98ish and re-sculpted by John Welford with car body filler, much bigger but a lot flatter, original hold araldited and small but sharpe.

Kudos sit start didn't used to add a grade but a hold has broken and now harder (half a grade harder)

Original Kudos didn't have the big jug at the start and rock over was only way but on small polised smear out left. Much harder than using jug. Try it!

Hope this fills a few holes

Andy