[DaveC]

Apparently Steve McLure has now ticked it. Good effort!

[superfurrymonkey]

http://hotaches.blogspot.com/2008/06/steve-mcclure-climbs-rhapsody-sonnie.html took him 4 days over 2 sessions 

[Paul B]

very impressive.

[cofe]

good effort. is this the first british ascent?

[Andy F]

Surely you mean first English ascent

[unclesomebody]

good effort. is this the first british ascent?

Are you calling Dave Macleod a liar?

Seriously though, Steve went for the lead on his first visit there, after trying it only for a few hours. Take of that what you will, but I think the message is clear. Regardless, he crushed it.

[cofe]

it was a gag

you're right he crushed it. looking forward to seeing the vids.

[north_country_boy]

Outstanding effort from Steve!

What message is clear? and what should we take from it?.........

[Scouse D]

good effort. is this the first british ascent?

Just like Dr. Pepper, Cofe is so misunderstood.

[unclesomebody]

To reiterate a very old point, I think we should have an honorary waddage system that includes the likes of Steve and other non ukb members, so in a situation like this I can give him waddage!

What was the joke? Perhaps you could have written, this is the second English ascent of the route, which would have confused people, until they learnt that you meant in the traditional sense of the word English, which was commonly used (and accepted) to denote the British isles. Times changed though, and people needed to have pride in something closer to home so now English is England only. What next? I'm not English! I'm a scouser! errr, wait a sec... 

[dave]

The first thing that comes into my mind when i hear steve mclure, someone not especially known for doing the absolute top-level of trad routes (i.e. E10s) quicly ticks a route billed as the hardest trad route in the world, i think "fuck me thats an astounding effort", and the second thing that occurs to me is "does that mean its easy for the grade then?". Of course this could just be one of the safer trad routes (sounds like it cos Del Boy wasn't making such a big deal of the fall compared to the media hype surrounding the FA) and thus McLure's sport pedigree pays dividends. question?

[(woz)]

He has done a few E9s though, and he has probably done 8c+s in less time than this...

[cofe]

McLure's sport pedigree pays dividends.

i only skim read your post but that point above must be well important. how many 9as and above as he done? how many times has he onsighted 8b+ or whatever? mental. uncle: i'll be more obvious next time anyway, let's not let it detract from a fine effort.

[james]

Question? I think we all really know the answer...

[Johnny Brown]

It shouldn't be surprising that McClure can climb stuff like this quickly. Its a few grades below his limit, just a bit runout. The E11 film did a pretty good job of showing it as not properly dangerous, ie R rather than X in the US system. I daresay Sonnie didn't just fall on the same wire til it broke either.

Has noone mentioned that Sonnie did it AGAIN, placing all the gear on lead! This is well impressive, it might not mean much in the end given the siege style of ascent but worthy none the less.

[Fiend]

thus McLure's sport pedigree pays dividends. question?

Answer!

[jonjon]

surely Steve MaC is scottish?

still needs a proper English ascent...


...man runs for cover

[andyheb]

went to visit an old climbing buddie of mine in glasgow over the week end. Very hung over we Ended up at dumbie on Sunday and saw Steve climbing on this line. Was impressive to see he cruised the crack of requiem like it was a Vs and then looked really smooth and good on the finishing headwall even having time to hang around and shake out. Excellent stuff to see.

The local scottish lads that were there seemed to think he hadn't done dave macleods line but had done sonnie trotters other version that he called cop out, which uses holds on the arete. Either way it was cool to see and very inspiring.!

[Paul B]

Question? I think we all really know the answer...

anything more to add?

[Three Nine]

(please dont punter me for this...)

I understand Ste Mac put quite a lot of effort into trying the Cratcliffe groove without doing it, which (if it has a font 8b crux?) might be c. 8c/+ (although hard to give french grade for grit)? That's e10, which might a be more appropriate grade for Rhapsody? Of course this is a bit of a crap argument (very different in style etc.)? I know its for a hypothetical onsight (hypothetically!), but i bet its more onsightable than the groove?

[Johnny Brown]

I don't think either are particularly onsightable at this point in time, in fact if SteMac took four days I'd put more money on someone lanky and strong fluking the groove on the flash.

[cowboyhat]

Question? I think we all really know the answer...

So it could be slightly over graded. I don't think it would have been DMc's intention to mislead anyone, (though courting publicity is another question), grades do settle with repeat ascentionists opinions. Perhaps they will comment?

[Johnny Brown]

Doesn't strike me as necassarily overgraded, just contrived and uninspiring.

[Jaspersharpe]

Notes on the grade: E11 7a. Obviously this is a remarkable grade. It arises mainly from the physical and technical difficulty of the climb. It's the hardest link I've ever done, so harder than the F8cs and Font 8bs. 8c+? maybe, I haven't done one so I don't know. So we'll say 8c. But it's also very technical climbing, a very devious sequence. The other aspect is the danger; a 60/70 foot fall from the top moves, sometimes glancing off the belay ledge. The swing in is extremely violent, sprained ankles, badly cut and bruised feet, legs and back and a crushed calf muscle were experienced. If you flipped and hit head first? I think the new grade might be justified as this route will only go if you are a high standard sport climber as well as bold. That sets it apart from previous routes. It's definitely 2 E grades harder than my E9s and 3 E's harder than Breathless. Grading hard routes is really just speculating about something where you have very little to go on. If not E11 then E10, repeaters will find out...

I agree that there doesn't seem to anything misleading here. Just an honest and open attempt to explain why he gave the route that grade. As you say it's up to people who've repeated it to comment on the grade but seeing as ST admits he doesn't get E grades it's unlikely that he will so that just leaves Steve.

[north_country_boy]

Steve didn't climb 'cop out' that reaches the arete at start of the traverse back right, before the crux boulder problem. However he did finish the route with his right hand on the 2nd to lasthold unlike dave and sonnie who had there left on this then the top with their right hand. Sonnie tried it Steves way and thought it was as hard a move if not harder.....