[Jaspersharpe]

Any footage of the junior comp, by any chance Jasper?

You're just trying to make me feel even older than I already do am aren't you.

Don't think there is but I'll investigate when I have time.

[cowboyhat]

Any footage of the junior comp, by any chance Jasper?

Pretty sure i came last out of three in the junior boys, my first ever comp aged 14. You must be the other guy?

The winner was of course about three feet shorter than me.

Suddenly I remember A LOT about that day. It was seminal in my lifetime.

Jasper was drawn to climb first, which Rob Scaife told me was really lucky, (I hadn't a clue what he was on about). Stuart and Ian superfinal? Rachel Farmer complaining to me about timings of getting pumped in isolation, (I hadn't a clue what she was on about). I missed a quickdraw, then backcliped one and had to sort both these things out, then suprisingly fell off.

Later at the party Johnny Dawes spoke to me! His exact word were "Have you got any liquid? Give me some liquid. Is that your pint? I need some liquid" etc

Then Boggo and Greg Cattell got me stoned for the first time and natch I was sick down the side of my dads car on the way home.

[GraemeA]

I thought Mike Lea was the first out. We all shat ourselves as he got so high on the route and we thought we'd fucked up with the routes.

That super final was great, I set it 

Anyone remember the session in the Fat Cat, 100 climbers and 1 bar staff, they were on a hiding to nothing, I remember the taller ones being able to help themselves to all of the fruit wines that lined the top of the bar. And the Bear got the barrel of cider. Allegedly. And then the curry, we filled Grimers rucksack with all of the plates etc and then watched as he staggered out and spilt all the stuff in front of the waiters. They were not amused. How we laughed.

[grimer]

Yeah that comp was fantastic, and both finals were superb, as was the fat cat session and the stolen plates.

[Jaspersharpe]

Yeah I was 58th or something to climb on the qualifying route, I've still got my number somewhere. There were that many of us we were all out at Don Valley in isolation and bussed in a few at a time to warm up. I qualified in 11th and ended up 9th in the final. The final route went up the pillar and traversed the lip of the roof and I was the first to get to the lip traverse. The crowd went fucking mental as I pissed the footless traverse thinking "I've won!" before predictably getting totally pumped and falling off on the first move up the headwall. Amazing experience.

The atmosphere was like no other comp I've been to as pretty much every half decent climber in Sheffield had entered it plus loads of others. Plus, being as it was the first time anything like that had been held at the Foundry, it meant that the audience for the final was massive and really psyched. The Super final was amazing as Stuart tried to dyno the last move and dropped it and we all thought Vickers would have no chance as he couldn't dyno to save his life. Of course he worked out a way of doing it static which was awesome.

The after party was truly excellent. 

I was first to climb in a different Foundry comp a year or so later. Gav had set the route and like Graham, shat himself because I got near the top. Turned out the route wasn't too easy as only Moon, Sellars and Vickers got further but the look on his face as I'd just been lowered off was priceless.

[Jaspersharpe]

Found some great old skool Buoux / Verdon stuff on this site. http://www.escalademag.com/







etc

[robertostallioni]

Visiting Yank wads, Scunthorpe Municipal Baths, circa '83

[SA Chris]

Great pics. Can you identify any of them? Is that Ron Kauk on the bench?

[Jaspersharpe]

Yeah it's Ron Kauk and it's Raboutou traversing.

On the La Plage photo, I think that's Robert Cortijo in light pink fleece and bonus shiny black & silver lycra.

[MorganW]

More of the Legend that is Jerry.

hmmm let's see....shall i use the staple, the ring or the hanger?

[Johnny Brown]

Some more old b+ws...

Idol Eyes on his Gardom's project, circa '98.



Crew at The Pebble, same era, pint to the first to name them all!

[clm]

dom, shakin nick, a particularly buff looking me, i think tetlers the skinhead winding up to jump. That problems not in the guide btw. Shoulder of pebble arete to deliverance jug. Done several times that day.

[Jaspersharpe]

i think tetlers the skinhead winding up to jump.

Looks like Gresham? 

[clm]

yes but he wasnt there - ive never climbed with him! Those teeth should be a give away but i cant place them. I can date it though. Tattoo done 28/04/99 and the plaster is still on.

[Adam Lincoln]

i think tetlers the skinhead winding up to jump.

Looks like Gresham? 

Not in tennies.
Yep, shaky in the sunnies. Who incidently is over at xmas NY for those that know him.

[Johnny Brown]

Clm's names are correct, I think I only saw Gresham at Stanage once, and that was on a photoshoot for his book. Few more to go though...

Tattoo done 28/04/99 and the plaster is still on

Ha ha! Any regrets?

[Jim]

one day you'll get the other half of that tattoo done 

[clm]

noticed a curled up rich bingham on the floor on the right

[Jaspersharpe]

Not in tennies.

Yes I know. Part of the reason for thinking it looked like him was that I thought they were Sportivas. 

[andy popp]

Some more old b+ws...

Idol Eyes on his Gardom's project, circa '98.

Did this get done? And where is it on Gardoms? I used to love that crag.

[Johnny Brown]

No, its the direct finish to Charlotte Rampling, doable but will be bold!

[Jim]

I didn't realise that pat had his left arm amputated

[Jaspersharpe]

I didn't realise he was ever that thin! 

[Houdini]

I didn't realise that pat had his left arm amputated

It wasn't.  It's congenital.

I didn't realise he was ever that thin! 

He wasn't.  That's liposuction.


(don't mention the wig)

[Bonjoy]

No, its the direct finish to Charlotte Rampling, doable but will be bold!

....and reachy. If you're >6ft it's a tricky deadpoint, if you're <6ft it's an all points off dyno. Still eminently doable though, even for the smaller folk and an excellent bit of climbing.