Tom Randall

After 60 days spread over 5 years!

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2008/02/tom_randall_climbs_amazing_20ft+_ceiling_crack_near_bath-42811

https://vimeo.com/4384027

https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.143839010406318/143840783739474

Third ascent.

https://vimeo.com/5897862

Since making this ascent Tom and Pete Whittaker have made it a tradition to reclimb the route each year on their birthday, usually in some sort of fancy dress. For example, they've climbed it in fat suits, dressed as minions and even as a multipitch.

References

[1] Tom's first ascent https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtKLXSGjop4

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/11/wideboyz_climb_century_crack_placing_gear-64870

https://tomrandallclimbing.wordpress.com/2014/06/30/the-pura-pura-project/

https://vimeo.com/99564444

Third ascent. All gear placed on lead.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2014/03/big_news_on_the_grit_dynamics_of_change_and_captain_invincible-68756

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHXxbqJ-5xA

I think this particular crack project has been one of the biggest struggles for me, due to a combination of factors. The climbing is really quite hard, the conditions on the line are incredibly fickle and the moves are so complicated that each time I would come down, I’d waste at least half a day remembering how to move my body. The route starts up a very strange and steep 2 bolt sport route which is more like climbing a long boulder problem. This then gives you access to an 80 degree finger roof crack. The sequence through the roof is around V10 and involves amazing spins on finger jams, an undercut mono-style move and some funky heel action. All of this has to be stopped in the middle of though, to place two micro nuts, which caused me problems on a few occasions! [1]

[1] https://tomrandallclimbing.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/dina-crac-e9-7a-welsh-limestone-trad/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2014/08/new_e9_7a_roof_crack_for_tom_randall_-_dina_crac-69120

https://tomrandallclimbing.wordpress.com/2015/08/10/the-hartland-roof-crack-project-the-kraken-v13/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8fonckprnE

Third ascent. Tom found a knee bar on the crux section which he felt reduced the grade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGFjKjCN7Pc

I was really pleased to get this line done, as me and Pete [Whittaker] don't always end up doing that many repeats in the area as we're so obsessed with FAs. In a way, it's nice to calibrate our recent developments and remind ourselves that other people have contributed hard lines and that we should all continually cross-pollinate for difficulty and quality! Fortunately, we've been training thin hands in the last two months, so this was a perfect line at the perfect time. I opted to place extra pieces in the runout middle crux, whereas Pete did his usual "go all-in" and I'm not sure how far he'd have been off the ground if he'd blown it at the end! [1]

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2019/04/roof_crack_repeat_by_randall_and_whittaker_-_necronomicon_513d14a-71912

Fast forward a decade and I accidentally (or was it by necessity?) starting singing Ava Max “Kings & Queens” to myself on Once Up A Time down in Devon. Almost instantly, I just got lost in the words and the movement flow combo. Literally everything just connected together and what (for me) was quite an intimidating climb became ridiculously fun and engaging. I almost wanted the whole thing to never end. [1]

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CUVVcwes1-Q/

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

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

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