Steve Bradshaw has sent his project in Oorlogs Kloof naming it ‘Where I Stood’.
Steve bolted the route in June / July of 2010 and has been working the route for some time, working through injuries, heatwaves and the wet! Steve says its a fantastic quality route and it has personally been the hardest route that he has done both mentally and physically.
He is not quite 100% on the grade, but Clinton Martinengo who has also been on the route reckons around 34/8c.
Steve says he is really happy to have sent the route as his fingers did not have much more life in them and one finger today is blue from the bleeding in the joint.
A couple of his finger joints have no cartilages left and some bones are rubbing together, which is not great for finger locking (or anything for that matter)! Steve chomps down 200 mg of Celebrex a day to keep his fingers in check!
To add to the difficulty of the route Steve also had a stomach bug the day before sending.
Condition’s yesterday where much cooler and dryer compared to the previous few weeks where temperature went up to 37 degree’s.
Micky Wiswedel was filming and below are some shots the day.
Steve on the crux where he had fallen numerous times before. Photo by Micky Wiswedel
From Micky
“I have been racking up a decent carbon footprint driving out once or twice a week to film Steve Bradshaw on his awesome project in Oorlogs Kloof, just outside of Montagu. He’s been extremely close for the past few weeks, and even though yesterday, driving out to Montagu was the last thing I was keen for I knew that if I didn’t go he’d probably send.
The day before Steve had been out with a stomach bug so the likely hood of a send felt pretty low. Steve even mentioned that the walk up to the crag felt harder. I chose a different camera angle to my normal safety shot on the crux, thinking that if he wasn’t going to send I might as well try a new angle. I started rolling a bit before the crux and next thing I knew Steve was cruising through the crux smoothly. He managed to hit and hold the key crimp he had fallen off of numerous times before and was sending the route!! I immediately checked on my cam to see if the record light was on, and prayed that I didn’t stuff this shot up somehow.
The route goes at about 8c/34 and is one of the hardest routes in SA! Steve sent after a year and half of work and dedication and I got the shot of the send. Below are some screen grabs from the video clip. Soon I will compile the short video.”
Click here to see more photos on Micky’s blog.
Related article: Hey Jupiter (34) by Steven Bradshaw 2009
Steve lower down on the route about to move into the crux
Wow! Well done!
Steve you’re a beast! Congratulations! Unbelievable!
Insane dude… 34 ties the highest grade in SA I know of?
I’m so psyched for you Steve. I hope micky gave you rhe high five from me. This is an awesome route and you climb it to perfection.
Wooohooo!!!!! Well done for the massive effort! Me thinks some celebrating are in order
For a man wearing pink tights, you did WELL!!! Just one hard move at the crux, then gym climbing to the top
OSSEM!!
That’s two five stare routes side by side. Representing the upper end of SA climbing for there times. Awesome job!
super inspiriational! paul, mazawattee goes at 35 – this ties the second hardest grade. other routes going at 34 are “streetfighter” in oudtshoorn, “rodan” at boven and “hey jupiter” which prof steve also opened a year or three ago. anybody knows how old prof steve is btw?
No matter how extravagant a number Steve tags onto his routes, he still is so far from climbing his age in SA grades. You would think he would have more sense at 50.
Related article: Hey Jupiter (34) by Steven Bradshaw 2009
For those who don’t know, there are two Steve Bradshaws out there and they both climb 34
This one (the older one) is Prof Steve Bradshaw. The other one (younger one) is Steve Bradshaw Jnr
Again, well done Steve!!
You crushed it! Awesome stuff!
Congrats. Inspirational! Prof Bradshaw lectured me chem eng back in ’92. Process Control to be precise – heavy mathematical stuff! So I reckon very near 50.
Now why did I not pay more attention to his climbing back then?
This guy has been inspiring my climbing for 28 years – and he is still doing so!!!. Awesome ‘Stevo’
‘…tenacity in the face of diminishing odds’
http://www.on-the-edge.co.za/profiles/blogs/silverbacks-1?xg_source=activity
Holy smokes, makes me happy to know that there is someone this dedicated to our sport in SA. Steve is showing the youth how it should be done, who else is opening super hard climbs in SA? – Not just bolting (which is easy) but finishing? A legend for sho, Along with Paul Brouard (Thanatos at the Wave Cave), the only other climber in SA to open 8c. Rodan officially 8b+ with new sequence. Rumours that Masawatee is 8c with all the trick kneebars would give Steve title to 2 of 5 of our 8c’s. Incredible achievment. Lets hoope the fingers stay together for a couple more! Andrew
Well done! The route looks so awesome!
Well done Steve, back to top form at 50. You just keep upping the bar and inspiring other oldies to keep up and believe it is never too late or over. I’m 50 next year and will definitely take this as inspiration to take it up a notch this season. What’s 34 anyway when you’r trying to climb your age!!!! Keep cranking dude.
Well done Steve! Amazing stuff.
Steve, you are an ABSOLUTE inspiration!! Will always try and wear pink…
I had the pleasure of doing “The Dream I Knew” with Steve and we always wondered if that right hand line would go. Awesome effort for someone with a proper job and family. Not to mention the logistical effort of getting to that climb. Well done coach – good on you for perservering!
Well done, Steve. Keep up the inspiration.
What’s this Celebrex stuff, by the way? Does it work for hips and shoulders as well?
Good job Steve! Doing the name proud! I see there’s a third Steve Bradshaw floating around given the comment above which is not from me??
Well, that was pretty interesting, I am just not sure that I am actually the person referred to in any of the comments above, but thanks anyway.
But now my fingers are sore, really sore, and it’s pretty much downhill from here. It’s more or less time to call it a day.