Malcolm Smith


Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B+
Hardest Sport (Worked): 9a
Hardest Sport (Flash): 8a+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E9
Notable Partnerships
Jerry Moffatt
Ben Moon
Social Media

An early adherent of training on a woody who put his strength to excellent use, putting up many of the hardest problems in the UK from the early 90s to early 2000s. Notably he made the second ascent of Hubble aged just 18, one of the hardest routes in the world at the time.

Dave "Cubby" Cuthbertson:

He had the strength of character to turn his back on the tradition of climbing, the summit and the romance, and do his own thing. As he says, he's always got time for more training. [1]

References

[1] Dave Cuthbertson interview with Niall Grimes on The Jam Crack Podcast Jan 2023. 1hr13mins. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2cj6Zduv5LRmqwotmqg5Nd?si=42c01ce82102438f

[2] Splinter, a short portrait by Ben Pritchard

[3] Stone Love

Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B+
Hardest Sport (Worked): 9a
Hardest Sport (Flash): 8a+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E9
Notable Partnerships
Jerry Moffatt
Ben Moon
Social Media

An early adherent of training on a woody who put his strength to excellent use, putting up many of the hardest problems in the UK from the early 90s to early 2000s. Notably he made the second ascent of Hubble aged just 18, one of the hardest routes in the world at the time.

Dave "Cubby" Cuthbertson:

He had the strength of character to turn his back on the tradition of climbing, the summit and the romance, and do his own thing. As he says, he's always got time for more training. [1]

References

[1] Dave Cuthbertson interview with Niall Grimes on The Jam Crack Podcast Jan 2023. 1hr13mins. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2cj6Zduv5LRmqwotmqg5Nd?si=42c01ce82102438f

[2] Splinter, a short portrait by Ben Pritchard

[3] Stone Love


Lists


Pics + Vids

Added at 16:01 on 13 January 2021
Added at 17:01 on 13 January 2021
Added at 21:01 on 16 January 2023
Monk Life (8B+, FA)
Added at 07:12 on 22 December 2020
Powerband (7C)
Added at 10:01 on 07 January 2021
Firefight (8B, FA)
Added at 23:02 on 15 February 2021
Magnetic Fields (8b)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 16:01 on 22 January 2023
Hunger (9a, FA)
Added at 20:09 on 22 September 2022
Hunger (9a, FA)
Added at 20:09 on 22 September 2022
Pas de Deux (8a+)
Added at 08:04 on 13 April 2022
Gut Buster (8B+, FA)
Added at 20:09 on 22 September 2022

Ascents

34 recorded ascents.

This timeline is missing some ascents where the date of the ascent is unknown. Use the other tabs to view these ascents.
Year Climb Grade FA Ascent Date
1991 Magnetic Fields 8b (Lead) 4th May 1991

Fourth redpoint of the day.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnuOhI_NugM/

1992 Hubble 9a (Lead) 1992
1993 Cry Freedom 8c (Lead) June 1993

An early, fast repeat (date not exact)

1994 Leviathan 8B+ (Boulder) 1994
Transcendence E9 (Lead) 1994
1995 Evolution 8c+ (Lead) 1995

Second ascent.

1996
1997
1998
1999
2000 Transform 8c (Lead) 2000
2001 8 Ball 8A+ (Boulder) November 2001

Third ascent.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2001/11/malcolm_smith_repeats_8_ball_font_8b-1801

Careless Torque 8A (Boulder) 20th December 2001

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2001/12/malcolm_smith_repeats_careless_torque_-_as_fawcett_watches-2119

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/rock_talk/how_was_careless_torque_first_climbed-335185?v=1#x4944420

The Joker 8A (Boulder) 20th December 2001

6th go, shortly followed by The Ace and the same day as Careless Torque,

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2001/12/malcolm_smith_repeats_careless_torque_-_as_fawcett_watches-2119

2002 Pool of Bethesda (Malc's Start) 8B (Boulder) 2002
2003 Monk Life 8B+ (Boulder) October 2003

https://vimeo.com/6245846

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2003/10/smith_completes_kyloe-in_project_at_font_8b+-9503

2004 Mithril 8B (Boulder) 2004
Pilgrimage 8B+ (Boulder) 2004
Director's Cut 8B (Boulder) 2004
Dreamtime (pre break) 8B+ (Boulder) February 2004

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/rock_talk/smith_repeats_dreamtime-73118

2005 Supersize Me 8B (Boulder) June 2005
2006
2007 Metalcore 8c+ (Lead) June 2007

2nd ascent.

True North 8c (Lead) June 2007

https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=7758.0

The Smiddy 8b+ (Lead) August 2007
Blackout 8b (Lead) 19th September 2007
2008 Unjustified 8b+ (Lead) June 2008

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2008/06/malc_smith_climbs_unjustified_8c_-_malham-44629

Gut Buster 8B+ (Boulder) September 2008

https://vimeo.com/5098601

2009
2010 Firefight 8B (Boulder) April 2010

https://vimeo.com/11089789

https://www.stonecountrypress.co.uk/2010/04/firefight-by-malc-smith.html

Pas de Deux 8a+ (Lead) 18th May 2010

1st redpoint.

http://doylosblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/malc-crushes-lpt.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEoMeB7EpA8

Blood Diamond 8c+ (Lead) 16th June 2010
Hunger 9a (Lead) 7th July 2010

Scotland's first 9a.

https://www.scottishclimbs.com/wiki/Scotland's_First_9a!_Malcolm_Smith,_Hunger

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Hunger 9a (Lead) 7th July 2010

Scotland's first 9a.

https://www.scottishclimbs.com/wiki/Scotland's_First_9a!_Malcolm_Smith,_Hunger

Hubble 9a (Lead) 1992
Blood Diamond 8c+ (Lead) 16th June 2010
Evolution 8c+ (Lead) 1995

Second ascent.

Metalcore 8c+ (Lead) June 2007

2nd ascent.

Transform 8c (Lead) 2000
Cry Freedom 8c (Lead) June 1993

An early, fast repeat (date not exact)

True North 8c (Lead) June 2007

https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=7758.0

The Smiddy 8b+ (Lead) August 2007
Unjustified 8b+ (Lead) June 2008

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2008/06/malc_smith_climbs_unjustified_8c_-_malham-44629

Dr Crimp 8b+ (Lead)
Blackout 8b (Lead) 19th September 2007
Magnetic Fields 8b (Lead) 4th May 1991

Fourth redpoint of the day.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnuOhI_NugM/

Pas de Deux 8a+ (Lead) 18th May 2010

1st redpoint.

http://doylosblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/malc-crushes-lpt.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEoMeB7EpA8

Energy Vampire 8a+ (Lead Flash)

Early 90s.

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Leviathan 8B+ (Boulder) 1994
Monk Life 8B+ (Boulder) October 2003

https://vimeo.com/6245846

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2003/10/smith_completes_kyloe-in_project_at_font_8b+-9503

Pilgrimage 8B+ (Boulder) 2004 9a
Gut Buster 8B+ (Boulder) September 2008

https://vimeo.com/5098601

Dreamtime (pre break) 8B+ (Boulder) February 2004 8C

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/rock_talk/smith_repeats_dreamtime-73118

Pool of Bethesda (Malc's Start) 8B (Boulder) 2002
Supersize Me 8B (Boulder) June 2005
Firefight 8B (Boulder) April 2010

https://vimeo.com/11089789

https://www.stonecountrypress.co.uk/2010/04/firefight-by-malc-smith.html

Mithril 8B (Boulder) 2004
Director's Cut 8B (Boulder) 2004
The Ace 8B (Boulder)

Second or third ascent.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2001/12/malcolm_smith_repeats_careless_torque_-_as_fawcett_watches-2119

8 Ball 8A+ (Boulder) November 2001

Third ascent.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2001/11/malcolm_smith_repeats_8_ball_font_8b-1801

Pinch 2 8A+ (Boulder)

In a day.

https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,6362.msg89768.html#msg89768

Halfway House 8A (Boulder)
The Joker 8A (Boulder) 20th December 2001

6th go, shortly followed by The Ace and the same day as Careless Torque,

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2001/12/malcolm_smith_repeats_careless_torque_-_as_fawcett_watches-2119

Careless Torque 8A (Boulder) 20th December 2001

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2001/12/malcolm_smith_repeats_careless_torque_-_as_fawcett_watches-2119

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/rock_talk/how_was_careless_torque_first_climbed-335185?v=1#x4944420

Muttertag 8A (Boulder)

Got told by a German named Fabian that he showed Malc muttertag n went round to clean the top for him, by the time he'd walked round the boulder Malc met him comin over the top. Then within 20 mins he climbed thro the sit to miss the top hold. He put his boots in his bag n Fabien said what are you doing its one of the best projects here to which Malc replied its not is it n then walked off. src

Powerband 7C (Boulder)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVyQ2_Gs7o4

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Transcendence E9 (Lead) 1994
Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade