So what happened at Fernkloof this weekend? Did anybody get Stormwatch? Pics, videos?

The only news I heard was that Arjan and Ben both flashed Faberge [28] and Nadine (from KZN) flashed Vandals [26].

Not sure about the red-points? I'm sure there were many though...

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Open hand, open mind...

No, no-one got storm watch. Most of them struggled to reach the first clip. Its a seriously small start.

Really?? I don't think the start is too bad - Maybe V5 / 6C+

Um, there may be some confusion over the start (refer to the stormwatch article thread). I'm not sure what the climbers were told? From what I can gather from talking to Roger, and from his article, is that he started with his left hand on the pointed undercling thing -- which you use with your right to start Faberge -- and then using another undercling(?) moved diagonally right up to the sloper just before the reasonable edge near the first bolt. Is this what the climbers were trying? Possibly they were told to try the start which starts on two slick small holds and then slaps to the sidepull edge just above the first bolt. This is what I thought added a grade to the route.

Interesting...
On the start, I used the slick grips to the sloper (not the underclings) and didn't find it too bad - maybe a height thing
I think I did climb over the lip past the chains on the right - although may be remembering wrong...

I also thought that Roger climbed the first move of Faberge then traversed onto the sloper. His actual sequence sounds pretty tricky!

Or you were just stronger then than you remember height might make a difference. The slick holds were quite high which made it hard just to get on.

Because I have too much time but can't go climbing, here is a photo (if it displays - how to use this thing?) In red is what I thought was new. In yellow is what I think Roger did. And what we used to do is climb in from the first jug on Faberge - purple. (I still reckon this is hard enough to warrant 31.) Not very clear but anyway.




or

http://picasaweb.google.com/paul.brouar ... 6726160194

My 2c. Firstly, I've never redpointed the route (but I did toprope it in two parts).

Paul's description is correct - ie Roger used the pointed undercling with his left hand and slapped to the sloper. This is REALLY hard if you cannot reach the sloper while standing on the big slopey foothold. I first tried the route in 1991 and couldn't do that move - then a taller climber (who wasn't as strong as me at the time) tried the move and did it easily. I know I'm whinging, but it really is much, much, much harder if you are short.

The Faberge variation was added by Richard Lord when he did the second ascent (to avoid the height dependant and somewhat eliminate boulder problem). I think that everyone has done it that was since, except for Paul's right hand start (in my opinion the best line - just bloody hard).

Lastly, and most importantly - it's an awesome route.

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There's no point being pessimistic, because it probably won't work

Thanks for the illustration Paul. I also used the red holds, the gaston being the most useful (although it seems you have excluded the yellow V shaped sloper that touches the lower left side of the highest red edge which you clip from - would seem contrived to me to avoid this since it is part of the same hold that has the edge

Hope everyone enjoyed reading that

Agree that its a great route!

So what are the results from the Boven leg?

I just seem to remember going straight to the edge. Maybe I thought it was the most efficient. But my memory is bad at the best of times. So not only were we doing the wrong start, the 'direct' had already been done. Wonderful.

Yea, I'm eager for the results. I hope there were some big ticks. I'm not sure if it would be easier or harder to redpoint difficult routes in a competition, as opposed to a casual weekend trip. Must be getting tired for one thing.

My memory is also pretty hazy on the whole thing...
Don't worry Paul, I think you were first up the direct start - certainly ahead of me.

I am the younger steveb.... Damn, there goes my cover!

Oops, think that's the second time I've made the mistake. The first I think was when I thought he was your father (?) hehehehe. Dumbass. Does Steve b senior even have an account?

Ay Steve why didn't you climb last weekend at the Rock 'n Road Trip? From seeing videos of you bouldering I'm convinced that you're one of the best climbers in SA..

J (brother of Rebecca Louw who was in Fuller few years back - don't know if you remember her)

Roger's original crib sheet! How cool is that Seems I may have placed his start too far left. Anyway, perhaps this has got boring...

http://picasaweb.google.com/paul.brouard/StormwatchCrib/photo#5115919750545517410

Haha! Taking it to the next level there Paul! I wonder why he tallied the types of grips on the right...

Hey Jonah! Haha, the videos live on, I see... Yes I remember Becs well... She was a pretty good climber herself back in the day. I would have loved to compete in the roc n road even knowing that I would have had my *ss handed to me... but alas I am now living in Los Angeles.

Well, I guess he put the grip types in for training. A crib sheet makes a lot of sense for redpoints at your limit -- a really good aid for visualization, and for mimicing moves on your wall. It would also be good for routes you only ever get on intermittantly, 'cos although you don't forget crux moves you often forget little inbetween moves, which if you do well saves tons of energy.. I wish I had done one for Street-fighter /two to win for instance. It is too difficult to keep a route fresh in your mind (and body) when you only try it on an occasional weekend off spaced by months.

Thanks Paul, I'll be saving the crib sheet for when I get to climb the route. I think it's a 28/27 though. That's what it looks like anyway. At the moment, I'm climbing a lot of easy routes on top rope.

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Silly games. I've been around since 2006, and what's wrong with toproping 16's anyway?

I am the original intergalactic champion. Fear me o<zero>dball!!

Interesting idea. Though I think I prefer to rework moves if I haven't been on something in a while. I find I remember most things and not being tied to a sequence usually leads to improved ways of doing moves.

However, each to his own madness!

Sup guys... R&R was the most amazing trip ever, even beating those Garth Huting trips back in the day! PaulB, what you been up to? You in SA? SteveB, seen you've been climbing in Yosemite, nice...

Cheers
Arjan de Kock

Glad you enjoyed the comp. Would have loved to have been there. You must be wasted. What are you gonna do now? Rest and come back wicked strong to finish off the routes? I'm teaching in Thailand -- about 2 hours from Krabi. But I'm not getting out there nearly as much as I would like. Today we are taking the afternoon off to go toprope a rad face on the beach nearby...

Ciao
p

Im back in CT, have to study. Matt Bush and me are going to work Masewatee tomorrow, scince no one has given it a sold work... going to be a project for next year! Next year is going to entail a lot of climbing for the two of us, very psyched! Krabi's very nice, went there about 3years back. Also some DWS there...

Cheers
Arjan

Mother's wagon tea! That's a cool line... But I'm not sure Sean would agree with your statement that no one's given it a good work... I'm curious to know if its an unaltered line - given the history with Animal House (also at Jurassic Park) and Sean's project at the Pipeline.

BTW Arjan, you might want to correct the spelling they have for you in the results section of the Rock and Road!

Well, lucky for me, Sean isn't on The Forum... Otherwise he'd pimp slap my ass! Just kiddin, he did probably give it a good work, but thats way back. He'd probibaly agree that no one except him have given it a good work!

Today was my first solid working/cleaning session, what a awsome line! Truly a masterpiece! From my extensive cleaning session, and the nature of the line, I can't see any manufacturing on it... I would almost put money on it that the line is 100% pure!

I also noticed the Cock on the website, but what the hell, it might stir some entertainment! scince that is what most people get form this site!

Great to hear that its natural!

Did you get all the moves?

There are 2 moves that I haven't got yet... Its right at the top, realy realy powerful... its gonna spit like a mad prostitute, but definetly possible! The line has and awsome flow that just intersifies as you go up. There are 2 realy solid rests thats gonna be vital.

Tomorrow is gonna be another day... of really hard working!

Howsit Arjan,

Did Matt get Jack of All Trades? Any pics?

Peace,

peer

no one got Jack...