[frasermcilwraith]

Who's the witness? The 6am Spanish spotter?

Or Lord Lucan maybe?

[andy_e]

Aye and they rode into the crag on Shergar.

[tomtom]

For fatman - it's got to be Elvis...

[abarro81]

They want to keep out of forum bullshit so PMd me as requested. I can't vouch for whether they're familiar with Fatman n where its supposed to start, what broke etc, but then I don't have a fucking clue about that either. I can, however, vouch that they're a real person and not a passing Spanish bard like with Scott M. Also saw him do Brian, which is more important anyway as it's route climbing not poxy bouldering

[rodma]

Given how much confusion there has been over the years for where you draw the line between fatman and gourmandise, I'd really love to see even some failure footage.

If Neil h is the witness then I'd take his word on what was in and what was out and what was achieved

[bendavison]

Nice one Dan!

[Three Nine]

Leaving aside dodgy grades or anything else, let's just get the main question out the way: has anyone seen Ellis climb anything hard or not? Feats of strength, edited footage or nearly doing things is all irrelevant so no need to bring it up. Anyone wanting to stay anonomous just PM me or rodma or someone.

P.s. to DT about proof - if people were doubting me I'd rather they did it on a public forum where I could respond than behind my back in private.

I saw you drag your foot along the ground on Jerry's roof and carry on. Admittedly you fell off later, but you were def gna take it if you hadn't. I conclude from this that you are in fact 8c Spanish Kev who bummed Simpson at the party.

[Three Nine]

His ash hole peoblems got a heavy down grade from 8A+ to 7B+ and 8A to 7B

I was at the tor and explained to him the rules on bens extension to get v11 no knee bar and right hand exit. I watch him climb with knee bars and left exit. Few days later he's  logged it as 8A/8b+ after i specifically told him that if he wants that grade its a eliminate. He made it to front page news of ukc with that ascent.. 

The sad thing is that he knows everything he is doing wrong... but simply doesn't care one bit.

You're both strong kids with overinflated ideas about how good you are in the grand scheme of things. I like having vids to watch so im glad you video all your stuff. Im sure Ellis will either sort his ethics out eventually or quit, so I wouldnt worry about it too much.

[Paul B]

5.10 and Mammut according to the report on Brian on the other channel

Is it just me that starts to think, given the UKC expose article that surfaced re: Rich, that both sponsors and news websites owe a duty of care when [repeatedl] reporting such things?

Sponsors more so, it can't be good being burnt multiple times. I can't see how with the requirement for a media profile (twitter / instagram / blogs / articles etc.) anybody would get away without providing these things (given the strong list of climbers dumped for being lacking in this department i.e. not good at self publication).

ps - this isn't a comment either way on the previously listed ascents as I simply don't have a clue/care

[granticus]

In a galaxy, far, far away..

a while back on this forum Ed informed me Ellis had done a project at Lynmouth West.  I asked a couple of questions about where he started and finished.  Ed told me he wasn't with Ellis at the time and would ask.  Since then no word or claim has been made by Ellis, despite footage of other problems on the same block no footage of the project..

I find speculation like this worrying.

Sorry 

Personally, I've never felt concerned about the possibility of spurious claims by other climbers.

  Hmmm.. Maybe I am adding fuel to the fire that isn't necessary.  Ellis really did tell Ed that he'd done a project at my local spot, a spot I have written a guide for and a project I had listed.  I am updating the guide too, so not unreasonable for me to ask for information on a new problem.  Just stating the fact that EBB has never been forthcoming with the info.  Read into it what you wish but certainly not speculation on my part.  Totally agree climbing is first and foremost about having fun.

Good effort Turnip btw.   

[Duma]

Nice one turnip, looks brutal!

[DAVETHOMAS90]

In a galaxy, far, far away..

a while back on this forum Ed informed me Ellis had done a project at Lynmouth West.  I asked a couple of questions about where he started and finished.  Ed told me he wasn't with Ellis at the time and would ask.  Since then no word or claim has been made by Ellis, despite footage of other problems on the same block no footage of the project..

I find speculation like this worrying.

Sorry 

Personally, I've never felt concerned about the possibility of spurious claims by other climbers.

  Hmmm.. Maybe I am adding fuel to the fire that isn't necessary.  Ellis really did tell Ed that he'd done a project at my local spot, a spot I have written a guide for and a project I had listed.  I am updating the guide too, so not unreasonable for me to ask for information on a new problem.  Just stating the fact that EBB has never been forthcoming with the info.  Read into it what you wish but certainly not speculation on my part.  Totally agree climbing is first and foremost about having fun.

Good effort Turnip btw.   

Hi there.

I grew up in Ilfracombe, just West a bit from Lynmouth. I spent many weekends looking for new crags along the coast there.

It's an amazing place, but a bit disappointing, given the spectacular coastline. I seem to remember forays involving desperate escapes from "guts" and bashing through Gorse and bramble for hundreds of feet. Good to hear about development of the bouldering. I'm pretty sure I did it all "back in the day".

I wouldn't like to say that climbing "is" this or that for anyone, fun or otherwise, but can we say there is a difference between the activity, the pursuit, and the market?

It sounds as though the issues surrounding various claims is far more complex than what I took from the earlier post, and perhaps a bit more difficult if you're updating the guide - good effort - but I don't like the sound of ascents/claims being discredited on the basis of a lack of evidence. The luxury of not being a guidebook writer.

I know that whenever I'm stoked about climbing something significant (for me), I want to tell the world, but I think I'd be just as energetic in response, if someone asked me to prove it! That's partly down to the fact that  for me, there was never any price of admission in climbing (other than the E6 on Lundy).

This is all an expression of my own opinion, and others will have their own feelings of course. Given how I feel about climbing, it would take an awful lot for me to begin formally  disputing claims - safety aside, as a guidebook writer. Can you include what has been claimed, but say no  other details have been forthcoming? At least that's factual.

Can we find a way of separating out climbing and other people's commercial interests?

[lagerstarfish]

I wouldn't like to say that climbing "is" this or that for anyone, fun or otherwise, but can we say there is a difference between the activity, the pursuit, and the market?

DT90 at his best

I can actually hear his voice while reading it

[willackers]

Turnipturned has repeated Bewilderness by looks of his Instagram: https://instagram.com/p/5Snm3hkQU1/

Good skills Dan! Strong effort! 

[rodma]

Nice one Dan!

In other news, whilst I hate to spoil the fun of rumours, intrigue and controversy, there is a witness for some of Ellis's hard stuff, including Fatman.

Any more info Alex?

[a dense loner]

Pls tell

[Three Nine]

I messaged both Ellis and Mammut UK, in the hope of eliciting some proof for at least one or two of his harder ascents. Much as id like to pretend it doesnt bother me at all, stuff like Brian is sort of important in my sad little world.

[Three Nine]

I was also speaking to an old has-been from the Shire who has done a hard problem or two on Dartmoor, and he remarked that he had been amazed at the volume of hardish stuff Ellis had logged as doing in a session on the moor. He was amazed not because of the difficulty, but because of the staggering volume of skin this would require. 

[SA Chris]

Tell Bendy I say hi

[Three Nine]

Heard back from EBB, he should be along shortly to put this shit to rest.

[rodma]

Heard back from EBB, he should be along shortly to put this shit to rest.

good, look forward to seeing the footage.

As I told Alex via pm, I'd be happy to see footage of him pulling on anywhere on the roof section of fatman and doing a single move, or looking convincing. footage of the topout section would count for nothing (I'm only saying this because i have the topouts on that block dialled).

Have heard from Alex via pm and what he has heard adds weight to ellis's claims but is inconclusive.

Let's see what he comes up with 

[petejh]

Says here he did Fatman with 4 people: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=346434

Anyone asked any of those four? Maybe one of them got vid.

[Three Nine]

Andy South Devon would be the chap to ask. I'll give him a shout.

[Oldmanmatt]

Reece and Andy are pretty upright citizens, who I've know around here for a few years since returning to the Shire. I don't know Char or Tom except in passing.

If Reece or Andy say he did it, I would accept it as fact (personally).



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[EdGowSmith]

Vid of the FA of Fatman for anyone interested.

http://youtu.be/HIreNKro7QU?t=2482