[tomtom]

The controversy is now bigger than whatever did it didn’t happen.

[lagerstarfish]

I have no evidence, other than my own imaginings, but I suspect that Shark has already done The Oak and he is stringing us all along with his siege saga purely to generate internet traffic (and therefore revenue).
I've phoned the BMC hotline and have a Rumor Reference Number in case I need to make a counter claim.

[tomtom]

I've phoned the BMC hotline and have a Rumor Reference Number in case I need to make a counter claim.

I feel uneasy about this statement. Were there any witnesses to your phone call (that were not Spanish spotters or German belayers)?

To cover off all eventualities I have also called the BMC hotline and have a rumour reference number in respect to your rumour.

Just for the unforseeable eventuality that we may have to initiate the UKB impeachment procedure.

[Johnny Brown]

m much more comfortable with the idea that people who fit into the (absolutely tiny) category of sponsored climbers who make ascents of top-end climbs alone or with only uncontactable strangers to witness should be expected to provide video evidence than with a situation where people who express doubt of such ascents are pilloried for doing so or that people are making weird Michael-Jackson-fan-like "we believe in you, you are the best" comments about pro climbers they've never met online like the ones that can be seen on Belhaj's Instagram and that Gresham was encouraging on his short-lived post.

Nail on head. End of discussion.

[SA Chris]

It's like a surfer who said they rode a serious break, and then some other surfer said, no you didn't.  no video no proof. 

You mean; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Clark_(surfer)

Difference is surfers like spots to be kept secret!
 

[mrjonathanr]

When you do it for kicks, there’s no obligation to gather evidence.

When you do it for money, there is.

[tomtom]

When you do it for kicks, there’s no obligation to gather evidence.

When you do it for money, there is.

True. Though with social media thrown in the lines become blurred..

likes can add to the kicks and followers and subscribers can be a currency.

[grimer]

If lying is so bad, how come we have all gotten about 99 times more entertainment out of all this than we have out of Buster Martin doing First Ley?

I had thought the Golden Era of the Climbing Fantasist was over. There's still hope!

[mrjonathanr]

A teaching assistant I used to work with was very insistent that her boyfriend had soloed the Indian Face, on sight no less. I expressed some scepticism, but she wasn’t having any of it.

But he didn’t get paid for his climbing or announce it on the internet.

I find the idea that an intelligent sponsored climber would announce a major ascent but be unable even to identify the belayer just preposterous.

Ghosts don’t belay, people do. If you can’t identify the belayer on an internationally significant ascent, that’s because there wasn’t one.

[SA Chris]

Are you saying he soloed it???

[webbo]

A teaching assistant I used to work with was very insistent that her boyfriend had soloed the Indian Face, on sight no less. I expressed some scepticism, but she wasn’t having any of it.

But he didn’t get paid for his climbing or announce it on the internet.

I think you should post this in the thread on the other channel. I would love to see the response.

[tomtom]

Are you saying he soloed it???

Shark had soloed IF? Impressive!

[crzylgs]

I find the idea that an intelligent sponsored climber would announce a major ascent but be unable even to identify the belayer just preposterous.

Ghosts don’t belay, people do. If you can’t identify the belayer on an internationally significant ascent, that’s because there wasn’t one.

That should be a thread ender 

Lets assume Said (or anyone else) was planning with genuine intention to travel to Frankenjura and send AD... would you not line up a potential belay / climbing partner or two or three just in case? If not could you find yourself at the crag, with perfect sending conditions and with nobody around to belay you? 

[shark]

Are you saying he soloed it???

Shark had soloed IF? Impressive!

I don't like to talk about it - it was a personal thing. Also not too keen that my wife finds out I've got a girlfriend. Not that impressive- its only 7b+ after all so obviously I'm well capable of it - nowhere near as hard as Bens Roof for example. I thought I might as well solo it as the gear is shite and I didnt want a belayer short roping me. I've got video evidence too - but not showing it to doubters

[Fiend]

[mrjonathanr]

Cheers crzylgs

I don’t want to open a  but do people realise there’s no actual uncut footage of the IF first ascent? And both belayers have left the country?


I know the isn’t ukc, but just in case I walk away and discover there’s 200 posts from an online lynch mob, Johnny did actually do the route and I was genuinely concerned by the possibility he might land on my head from 100’ up. Bob Drury and Sean Myles belayed on each rope

[SA Chris]

Wasn't there a cartoon about Redhead climbing Indian Face belayed by a giant rabbit? Or was i tripping

[petejh]

Probably John Bunney. 

[T_B]

A teaching assistant I used to work with was very insistent that her boyfriend had soloed the Indian Face, on sight no less. I expressed some scepticism, but she wasn’t having any of it.

But he didn’t get paid for his climbing or announce it on the internet.

I think you should post this in the thread on the other channel. I would love to see the response.

I had a similar thing where a very good mate of mine's wife insisted she'd done Cry Freedom at Malham. This was some years ago, certainly before a British woman had climbed 8c. They're now divorced.

[Bradders]

I had a similar thing where a very good mate of mine's wife insisted she'd done Cry Freedom at Malham. This was some years ago, certainly before a British woman had climbed 8c. They're now divorced.

Did he just keep asking her who her belayer was?

[tomtom]

I had a similar thing where a very good mate of mine's wife insisted she'd done Cry Freedom at Malham. This was some years ago, certainly before a British woman had climbed 8c. They're now divorced.

Did he just keep asking her who her belayer was?

Shark. Obvs. 😃

[Offwidth]

I have no evidence, other than my own imaginings, but I suspect that Shark has already done The Oak and he is stringing us all along with his siege saga purely to generate internet traffic (and therefore revenue).
I've phoned the BMC hotline and have a Rumor Reference Number in case I need to make a counter claim.

Please no 'Shark Watch' Facebook group.

[Sasquatch]

There's a mea culpa in this video about lying about climbing. Seems pertinent to the discussion.

[webbo]

It is but we’ve already had it on page 7.

[Sasquatch]

It is but we’ve already had it on page 7.

Doh!  Missed that.  Sorry