[Duma]

might this info be better presented as oldest ascent for each grade? ie...
9b+: 31
9b: ?
9a+: ?
9a: 52
8c+: ?
8c: ?
8b+: 60
8b: ?
8a+: ?
8a: 68
etc...

[haydn jones]

that looks a lot better duma!

[kelvin]

Yup. Much better. There is hope...

[Johnny Brown]

In other words, is shaving 1 minute off a 3 hour time more or less impressive than shaving 1 minute off a 3:30 time for the same distance?

More impressive, clearly. No doubt that's why they've expressed their data as percentages.

[davej]

Yup. Much better. There is hope...

[kelvin]

Nice link habrich - interesting that a few of them didn't start climbing till well into their fifties.

[duncan]

Athletic performance declines steeply from mid 70s, even in endurance sports. Similar shaped graph - with units for tomtom - to sport climbing if we consider grades as linear.
From J Applied Physiology


More on this sort of thing here.

[Fiend]

John Gill's interviews with climbers still active in their 70s , from 2007

Flicked briefly onto one interview, seems very inspiring

[tomtom]

Athletic performance declines steeply from mid 70s, even in endurance sports. Similar shaped graph - with units for tomtom - to sport climbing if we consider grades as linear.
From J Applied Physiology


More on this sort of thing here.

Ahh.. That's peer review for you #standards

[nai]

  but just heard this guy interviewed on Radio 5.

Sounded so sprightly and enthusiastic, quite amazing and inspiring.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-30170585

[Muenchener]

Totally useful. If I can consolidate at 7a and creep up a couple of 7bs I can make the Top Fifty over 40s in Germany.

MTG. 

[fatdoc]

I have no global aspirations. But as part of a total... Getting fitter / dropping BMI / wanting to cycle better lifestyle change.. Incl running ( no, don't start) free weights, core, yoga and climbing board work I'm hoping for some low 7s at font and home this Spring... I annually fluke the odd font 7a. Really hope to actually tick a few off in 2015.. I'm well established in my mid 4s these days..

[tregiffian]

My cardiologist says "elderly" starts at 75. Way to go.

[fried]

Nice to see there's still room for improvement after 50.

[tomtom]

Nice to see there's still room for improvement after 50.

I'm banking on it

[fried]

I'd imagined my 50s would be spent popping out from behind rocks in Isatis, giving unwanted beta and pointing out all the hidden holds while covering everything in pof. Obviously wearing a very large pair of climbing shoes with socks.

[davej]

Nice to see there's still room for improvement after 50.

I'm banking on it

Me to

[Sasquatch]

I'd imagined my 50s would be spent popping out from behind rocks in Isatis, giving unwanted beta and pointing out all the hidden holds while covering everything in pof. Obviously wearing a very large pair of climbing shoes with socks.

This sounds excellent

[tomtom]

I'd imagined my 50s would be spent popping out from behind rocks in Isatis, giving unwanted beta and pointing out all the hidden holds while covering everything in pof. Obviously wearing a very large pair of climbing shoes with socks.

This sounds excellent

Indeed. You need a gnarly old beta stick to tap out the holds.. Be able to communicate in no language (yet sound strangely French) And wear a probably inappropriately tight pair of shorts to make the complete package

[roddersm]

Does Bill Ramsey deserve a mention - 5.14b(8c?) at 54? Didn't Stevie Haston climb another 9a after descent La Lotta too?

[nai]

I'd imagined my 50s would be spent popping out from behind rocks in Isatis, giving unwanted beta and pointing out all the hidden holds while covering everything in pof. Obviously wearing a very large pair of climbing shoes with socks.

This sounds excellent

Indeed. You need a gnarly old beta stick to tap out the holds.. Be able to communicate in no language (yet sound strangely French) And wear a probably inappropriately tight pair of shorts to make the complete package

The current crop manage to get their message across as long as you understand droite, gauche, main, pied, la, ici and a bit of mime in conjunction with comme ci & comme ca.  Looking and behaving like Basil Fawlty is optional but preferable.

[shark]

I'd imagined my 50s would be spent popping out from behind rocks in Isatis, giving unwanted beta and pointing out all the hidden holds while covering everything in pof. Obviously wearing a very large pair of climbing shoes with socks.

This sounds excellent

There was somebody like this knocking around Burbage and Stanage when I started climbing in the Mid 80's. I remember him referring to Big Ron as "The Master". 

Indeed. You need a gnarly old beta stick to tap out the holds.. Be able to communicate in no language (yet sound strangely French) And wear a probably inappropriately tight pair of shorts to make the complete package

[davej]

I thought Paul Reeve climbed 8c at 50! very impressive

[gme]

Why add the last one? Are you trying to work out and average.

8c at 50+ is impressive but not benchmark 8c at 40 is nothing. 9a at 30 isnt a big deal either. What about 9a+ at 13.

In my reckoning benchmark for 13- 9a+, 20-9b+,30-9b+, 40- 9a/9a+, 50-9a+, 60-8b+

[slackline]

Why add the last one? Are you trying to work out and average.

8c at 50+ is impressive but not benchmark 8c at 40 is nothing. 9a at 30 isnt a big deal either. What about 9a+ at 13.

In essence yes, if you want to look at "highest grade climbed for a given age" thats a different question to "benchmark grade climbed for a given age" since a benchmark is noun a standard or point of reference against which things may be compared or assessed. and exceptional performances (i.e. the highest grade for a given age) are not therefore "benchmarks".  Really to make sense of what the "benchmark" is for a given age you need lots of data points at all ages.  This dataset is very limited mainly to whats been posted in this thread (although  I've added a few high-level performances mainly of younger people I shouldn't really cherry pick, if you've data on what is an "impressive", or better still commonly climbed grade for the age of 40 then post it up).   I don't have the time to go and research/collect the necessary data, but the data I've collated so far and the code I've written to generate the graphs is available for anyone else who wants to do this.

I'm guessing your "9a+ at 13" is Ashima?  I would add that in but that would make her the only female on the list and no line could therefore be drawn.  Would be good if people who know equivalent data for women could post it up.

If you or anyone else wants to post up their or anyone else performance in the format shown I'll add it in and re-draw the graphs.  Quote this and add your details in...

Code: [Select]

name,age,grade,gender
"Chris Sharma",31,9b+,"male"
"Stevie Haston",52,9a,"male"
"Manolo",51,9a,fe"male"
"Francesco Marin",60,8b+,"male"
"Lee Sheftel",59,8b+,"male"
"Herman Gollner",70,7c+,"male"
"Lee Sheftel",68,8a,"male"
"Stimson Bullitt",83,6a,"male"
"Fred Beckey",93,4,"male"
"Adam Ondra",19,9b+,"male"
"Alex Megos",20,9a,"male"
"Beat Kammerlander",50,"8b+","male"
"Eneko Pou",40,"8c","male"
"Ben Moon",48,"9a","male"
"Bill Ramsey",54,"8c","male"
"Ethan Pringle",27,"9b","male"
"Seb Bouin",22,"9b","male"
"Paul Reeve",50,"8c","male"