UKBouldering.com

Climbers that suddenly stopped (Read 10723 times)

YorkshireTea

Offline
  • *
  • regular
  • Posts: 41
  • Karma: +12/-0
Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 06:46:04 pm
Thinking Pollitt is the most extreme version I can think of, climbing your hardest then quitting next day but who else all but stopped when climbing at their hardest?

Moffatt basically stopped after the Ace? (haven't got my copy of revelations at my current place and can't remember exactly)
Did Malc climb much after doing Hunger in 2010?


remus

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 2890
  • Karma: +146/-1
#1 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 07:35:13 pm
I think Jerry did Ard Ay 8A+ in South Africa the year after he did The Ace, but yeah I think he stopped climbing fairly abruptly around 2002. Pollitt is a good shout. I feel like there must be some more, but no one is coming to mind at the moment.

shark

Offline
  • *****
  • Administrator
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 8716
  • Karma: +626/-17
  • insect overlord #1
#2 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 07:48:34 pm
 Neil Carson springs to mind. Moved abroad to start a demanding job and then family. Always amazes me when people stop who are so keen. Neil Pearson is someone who is mad keen then isn’t and takes up cycling  :sick: again. What happened to Matt Boyer. He was all over climbing media in the mags in the mid 80’s then nothing. Others like Ed Morgan who couldn’t get over injuries.

jwi

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 4240
  • Karma: +331/-1
    • On Steep Ground
#3 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 08:15:11 pm
I know non-famous climbers that stopped cold-turkey. From one day to the next.

An old climbing partner threw away his harness in the gas-station on the way home from the crag and has not climbed since.

YorkshireTea

Offline
  • *
  • regular
  • Posts: 41
  • Karma: +12/-0
#4 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 08:16:16 pm
I think Jerry did Ard Ay 8A+ in South Africa the year after he did The Ace, but yeah I think he stopped climbing fairly abruptly around 2002. Pollitt is a good shout. I feel like there must be some more, but no one is coming to mind at the moment.

Good knowledge, sure I've also heard of more cases but can't think of them


Neil Carson springs to mind. Moved abroad to start a demanding job and then family. Always amazes me when people stop who are so keen. Neil Pearson is someone who is mad keen then isn’t and takes up cycling  :sick: again. What happened to Matt Boyer. He was all over climbing media in the mags in the mid 80’s then nothing. Others like Ed Morgan who couldn’t get over injuries.

Forgot that was the case with Neil Carson, will have to rewatch your interview with him. Don't know of Neil Pearson or Matt boyer (excuse my young naivete)

shark

Offline
  • *****
  • Administrator
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 8716
  • Karma: +626/-17
  • insect overlord #1
#5 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 08:26:15 pm
Rich Simpson!!

mrjonathanr

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5400
  • Karma: +246/-6
  • Getting fatter, not fitter.
#6 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 08:39:32 pm
Jason Myers. Elbow tendinitis forced retirement but then he transferred his energies into cycling and never looked back.

Pete Crew basically stopped and became an architect instead, I think?

Les Holliwell (twice)
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt2177745/
« Last Edit: February 04, 2024, 08:45:10 pm by mrjonathanr »

webbo

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5030
  • Karma: +141/-13
#7 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 08:44:39 pm
Tom Proctor got tendinitis and took up caving.

monkoffunk

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 737
  • Karma: +61/-0
  • sponsored by 90% lindt and vitamin D
#8 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 08:46:28 pm
Non famous Mark Tomlinson had a great trip to Spain and climbed 8b, then quit because he couldn’t face trying to motivate himself for projects in UK. Or maybe it was because he was kicked off UKB? One or the other?

Paul B

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 9628
  • Karma: +264/-4
#9 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 08:48:53 pm
Non famous Mark Tomlinson had a great trip to Spain and climbed 8b, then quit because he couldn’t face trying to motivate himself for projects in UK. Or maybe it was because he was kicked off UKB? One or the other?

Mark is infamous here surely? I miss him and miss climbing with him.

Tony Musselbrook. Did he join the army?

Paul B

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 9628
  • Karma: +264/-4
#10 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 08:50:35 pm
Neil Pearson is someone who is mad keen then isn’t and takes up cycling  :sick: again.

Tell me what your son's YouTube channel is about Simon?  :worms:

webbo

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5030
  • Karma: +141/-13
#11 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 09:00:25 pm
There was that guy who got recruited by the MI5.

webbo

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5030
  • Karma: +141/-13
#12 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 09:02:47 pm
Basic Nik Plishkio another tendinitis victim.

Teaboy

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1182
  • Karma: +72/-2
#13 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 09:07:11 pm
Stuart Cameron, Matt Smith (the original training guru).
Did Jasper Sharp suddenly stop?

grimer

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 1578
  • Karma: +144/-1
#14 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 09:09:56 pm
those three are great examples

duncan

Offline
  • *****
  • Global Moderator
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 2965
  • Karma: +335/-2
#15 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 09:32:40 pm
What happened to Matt Boyer. He was all over climbing media in the mags in the mid 80’s then nothing.

Matt moved to south west England, continued to climb intermittently until recently, keeping a very low profile.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYeXeI4lQpe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Andy Hall, Bristol dark horse and fellow Pindisports employee. One moment he was headpointing some of the earlier E6s in Britain the next he disappeared completely cutting all contact with anyone who climbed. Several climbing historians and guidebook writers have tried to track him down without success.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CW5-jrNoIZL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Me (1984-1994) another tendinopathy casualty, then got a life. Commemorated by the misnamed Duncan goes to Clevedon (should have been  Weston).

shark

Offline
  • *****
  • Administrator
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 8716
  • Karma: +626/-17
  • insect overlord #1
#16 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 10:10:15 pm
Neil Pearson is someone who is mad keen then isn’t and takes up cycling  :sick: again.

Tell me what your son's YouTube channel is about Simon?  :worms:

 :'(

Another one to add to the list


mrjonathanr

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5400
  • Karma: +246/-6
  • Getting fatter, not fitter.
#17 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 10:20:55 pm
Malc Taylor got a job with them Webbo, not sure it was quite recruited… but definitely a talented Peak activist who gave up abruptly.

And Mark Leach, lost his Porsche 944 Turbo, found the law, became a lawyer.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2024, 10:26:10 pm by mrjonathanr »

Fiend

Offline
  • *
  • _
  • forum hero
  • Abominable sex magick practitioner and climbing heathen
  • Posts: 13453
  • Karma: +679/-67
  • Whut
#18 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 04, 2024, 10:36:59 pm
Another one to add to the list
Paul B??

stone

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 588
  • Karma: +45/-2
#19 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 05, 2024, 07:17:39 am
Nick Colton said he suddenly stopped completely for 15 years before starting again in the late 1990s after his children had got older. In 2002-ish I remember him saying he was going to Pembroke. He said he had been once before and had done the first ascent of Sun Lover on that first outing. His gear all seemed to date from before the 15year hiatus.

Fultonius

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 4331
  • Karma: +138/-3
  • Was strong but crap, now weaker but better.
    • Photos
#20 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 05, 2024, 07:39:36 am
My favourite story is the one of Craig Parnaby, almost doing a ground up ascent of requiem many years before that feat was put to bed, then just hung up his boots and became a doctor.

https://www.stonecountrypress.co.uk/2009/08/unsponsored-heroes-craig-parnaby_12.html

sherlock

Offline
  • ***
  • obsessive maniac
  • Posts: 473
  • Karma: +21/-0
#21 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 05, 2024, 08:15:22 am
I think my favourite tale, recounted by Sherman IIIRC, was of two un-named Swiss climbers who topping out on Salathe simply untied, dumped their gear on the ground, turned and walked away.....

stone

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 588
  • Karma: +45/-2
#22 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 05, 2024, 09:11:07 am
My favourite story is the one of Craig Parnaby, almost doing a ground up ascent of requiem many years before that feat was put to bed, then just hung up his boots and became a doctor.

https://www.stonecountrypress.co.uk/2009/08/unsponsored-heroes-craig-parnaby_12.html
Wow, I spent two weeks in Ceuse in 1996 with four of us getting there in a tiny Fiat. Craig Parnaby was the ring leader and only one of us familiar with sport climbing. He was already a medical student then I think. It's amazing to think someone so keen would just stop forever.

Jerry Morefat

Offline
  • **
  • addict
  • Posts: 140
  • Karma: +7/-0
#23 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 05, 2024, 09:29:52 am
I think my favourite tale, recounted by Sherman IIIRC, was of two un-named Swiss climbers who topping out on Salathe simply untied, dumped their gear on the ground, turned and walked away.....

Seems a bit premature when they could have saved themselves a couple of hours by abbing down the eastern ledges rather than walking all the way back down :)

I don't know him personally, but does Paul Smitton still climb?

remus

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 2890
  • Karma: +146/-1
#24 Re: Climbers that suddenly stopped
February 05, 2024, 09:37:46 am
I think my favourite tale, recounted by Sherman IIIRC, was of two un-named Swiss climbers who topping out on Salathe simply untied, dumped their gear on the ground, turned and walked away.....

I've heard that one too, I think it was in one of John Long's books, How to Rock Climb perhaps?

 

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal