simpson vanishes...

[Percy B]

Performing sections of AD for the camera is not that difficult - apparently there is no move harder than Font 7b/+ on the whole route. Redpointing AD though is a totally different animal. Put another way, even I could theoretically make a film of me linking bits of AD, but I would struggle to redpoint 8a these days.

The film of him doing lots of one armers is impressive, but ability at specific training exercises is no indication of any ability for rock climbing (there is plenty of evidence for this :lol

 

[remus]

No he wasn't. See John Watson's hilarious clip of him on the mighty "Atlantic Bridge" (V14 >> V4)

Where might one find this video? Searches of youtube, vimeo and here didnt turn anything up...

 

[Simon Lee]

Why should somebody getting dropped by their sponsors get any news coverage?

Are you speculating that he was dropped or do you know that for a fact. He may have resigned.

 

[butterworthtom]

There is that video of him climbing pinky perky at 8B in the school room though?

 

[GCW]

No he wasn't. See John Watson's hilarious clip of him on the mighty "Atlantic Bridge" (V14 >> V4)

Where might one find this video? Searches of youtube, vimeo and here didnt turn anything up...

Here, but it's from StoneCountry originally.

Si O's been seen doing relatively awkward stuff.

There's a vid of Simpson on Staminaband (?) somewhere

 

[remus]

Cheers.

 

[tc]

Si O's been seen doing relatively awkward stuff.

Really? Where?

 

[Ike]

So people think Simpson is full of shit? I was unaware of this. Well I for one would like to believe he has been honest about all his accomplishments.
I friend of mine who died a few years ago soloing in Ireland had a reputation for being full of shit too. People said he had not done all sorts of things he had claimed to, but I had seen the guy pull off some nasty hard things (like free solo F8a) in the most controlled style, so I just took his word for everything he'd claimed to have done. After all, I knew he was capable of it.
I'll take the same road with Simpson until someone can prove he's lying about his ascents.

 

[roddersm]

Not news in my opinion. Why should somebody getting dropped by their sponsors get any news coverage?

About time as there has been much discussion regarding the validity of many of Rich Simpsons claims - his ascent of Action Direct, Liquid Ambar, the list is long and impressive. There's no proof of any of these ascents (eg: no belayers, photos, videos, eye-witnesses) and so his sponsors have got a little concerned and dropped him, and quite rightly. Claims for sub 4 minute miles, 2h hour 30 minute marathons have only added fuel to the fire.

I couldn't care less if he is genuine or a bullshitter. What pisses me off is that many of the ascents he claims were many other climbers goals, and this can be very demotivating. An example - the climbers who were trying A Muerte prior to Rich's 'first ascent' probably never tried the route again once the prize of the first ascent had be claimed. What a shame if Rich's claim was false to have stolen that motivation from other climbers. If he has done the routes, good for him, but claiming to be a world class climber without any proof is eventually going to come back and bite you in the arse.

Not news, because I think Rich may have already had far more than his fair share of media coverage.

Percy I think you're being very harsh here. For me there's as much evidence for Simpson doing what he's claimed as many other high profile climbers. Maybe he is full of shit but I've seen or heard no evidence to suggest he is. The few videos floating around about him show how strong and good he is and tellingly none of the top climbers he's trained or climbed with have questioned his claims, at least not publically.

The lack of web evidence to support his running and boxing claims is odd but that doesn't mean they aren't true. I can't believe anyone would make up doing a 2.30 marathon, sub 4 minute mile and being a successful boxer and expect not to be found out.

Did he actually get dropped by his sponsors or is this just speculation?

 

[chris05]

Did he not have a belayer for AD? Surely it wasn't backroped (if climbed at all)?

 

[granticus]

I don't really know anything about anything.... However, this all seems (to me) to be completely out of keeping with the personality and character of the young(er) Master Simpson that I came across starting out training at Warwick uni wall. Perhaps I'm a shit judge of character but my perception of Rich was someone with a sensibly sized ego that would be honest about his achievements. He certainly came/comes across as being a very pleasant human being, not that counts for anything. I guess nowadays, if folk don't document their high end achievements people are gonna start questioning them. What is being suggested just doesn't feel right to me. :-\

 

[KH]

I don't know RS and I have never met him, but the videos of him online, obsession and pinky perky, are inspirational and whilst there are no full ascents of AD, Hubble and LA, these videos IMO only go to show that he has more than enough ability to do what has been reported.

 

[Percy B]

Harsh? Maybe.
Like I say, I don't know (and don't really care) if Rich has really done many of the things he has claimed. It makes no odds to me. However, having spent a little time with one of his sponsors recently and heard their doubts, I have to say that there is a fairly damning lack of evidence for several of his ascents. If your sponsor asks you for proof that the stuff on your climbing CV is true and you can't come up with the goods, then I expect you'll either get dropped (or resign before they drop you).

Yes, there is much video evidence that Rich could do some awesome stuff in the School, but little un-edited evidence of him doing anything exceptional on rock. (Obviously, feel free to humiliate me by posting all your Simpson hard grit videos on this forum). There is much evidence that climbing 8b on a board doesn't equate to being able to top-rope a HVS without having a disco leg . Training is training, climbing is climbing....etc, etc... The ability to do 15 one-armers just means that you spend a lot of free time wanking (see the paper, Masturbation and it's ammelioratory affect in the Rock Athlete, by Professor S O'Connor)

Wish I hadn't bothered posting now, as I can't be bothered to argue the toss. I truly hope Rich is the real deal and will prove everbody wrong. It is unfortunate that proof is required if you claim the stuff he has claimed has done, as it is ground-breaking stuff and effects other climbers significantly, but that's the nature of being at the top of your sport. Put up or shut up.

 

[mrjonathanr]

Speaking just for myself, I have no reason to doubt these reputed ascents of his - so I don't.

That's not why I'm posting though: I find assertions of the 'Well he looks pretty strong on the dog so he MUST have redpointed it' variety a tad surprising. Surely you know redpointing is a bit trickier than dogging?

 

[roddersm]

Fair enough Percy but it just seems, from what is known publically, that Richard Simpson is being unfairly singled out. I'm sure there are loads of examples of climbers who've claimed things with little or no evidence. Unfortunately its too easy for people to bullshit about climbing achievments on the internet these days but I think people should be given the beneifit of the doubt unless there is evidence that they are lying.

It's fair enough that sponsors ask for evidence but surely they should make some sort of statement if they remove an athlete (or they resign) to stop this sort of speculation which can damage someones reputation.

 

[Simon Lee]

Why is it unfair to single Simpson out compared to O'Connor and Medwards ? How much benefit of the doubt is enough? In any case Simpson was perfectly happy to single Heason out and demand evidence from him publicly on the web lest we forget.

Its a shitty business for sure and we all want to see the best in people. But it is only the fact that he is such a wad indoors that his unverified ascents went largely unquestioned. It was only as anomalies arose that people started doubting and as the doubting continued the anomalies kept arising. How many unsubstantiated gobsmacking achievements does it take before anyone publicly cries bullshit?. In this case quite a few: AD, A Muerte, CT, The Zone (WTF?), 4 minute miles, astonishing marathon time, 8 boxing wins and roped solo of the Hasse. When does it stop?. Where is the evidence from someone who demanded it so publicly of Heason?. If it is all bullshit, then there are friends who have stood up for him whose loyalty has been betrayed and sponsors he has stolen from. Its divisive too - putting climbers in the pro and anti camp potentially setting friends against each other. Trust makes the world go round and being duped and made of fool of is shit but it is better that the truth is outed. Check out Bernie Madoff – he personally conned hundreds out millions who wanted to believe despite the consistency of his returns being statistically miraculous.

We want to believe. I do. But nobody is rushing forward with actual eye witness testimony or videoed ascents are they?. If its forthcoming it will be brilliant. I was made up to read that a Brit had at last done Action Directe and then did the FA of an open project on Campi Puigi. The balance of probabilities on the lack of evidence so far is that it was made up.

 

[Doylo]

Performing sections of AD for the camera is not that difficult - apparently there is no move harder than Font 7b/+ on the whole route. Redpointing AD though is a totally different animal.

I'd like to see a Font 7b climber do the first jump on Action off the monos (its miles) or the last dyno come to think of it. In the footage he does it from 4 hard moves in to the end.

Put another way, even I could theoretically make a film of me linking bits of AD, but I would struggle to redpoint 8a these days.

This i would like to see

 

[KH]

Yes, there is much video evidence that Rich could do some awesome stuff in the School, but little un-edited evidence of him doing anything exceptional on rock. (Obviously, feel free to humiliate me by posting all your Simpson hard grit videos on this forum). There is much evidence that climbing 8b on a board doesn't equate to being able to top-rope a HVS without having a disco leg . Training is training, climbing is climbing....etc, etc... The ability to do 15 one-armers just means that you spend a lot of free time wanking (see the paper, Masturbation and it's ammelioratory affect in the Rock Athlete, by Professor S O'Connor)

You're right, I've seen many a strong youth freeze whilst on a rope. In fact, we have a youngster in South Wales who equalled RS's feat of mono 1-4-7's but can't make easy moves whilst leading a sport route. But this doesn't seem the case having watched RS confidently climbing past bolts on AD and cruising Nightmare on the Obsession vid. He also moves very well on rock and whilst multiple one armers doesn't always equate to being a good climber, continuous one armers does equate to having a crazy level of power endurance, vital for routes like AD.

For me, these videos have proved that he moves well on rock, is confident on the lead, is more than strong enough to do most hard climbing moves and has great power endurance levels. I may be naiive, but I have enough proof to take his word on having climbed these routes.

Also, weren't Bock and Koyomada around at the time he repeated AD. Bock is no stranger to calling a Brit a bullshitter, but I haven't seen anything on line where he suggests that RS hadn't climbed it.

 

[Doylo]

Also, weren't Bock and Koyomada around at the time he repeated AD. Bock is no stranger to calling a Brit a bullshitter, but I haven't seen anything on line where he suggests that RS hadn't climbed it.

Koyomoadas entourage were at the crag, Dai was in the car park.

 

[KH]

Chris, Were you with Rich when he climbed AD?