Hazel Findlay

Instagram.com | UKClimbing.com | IFSC-Climbing.org

Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8A
Hardest Sport (Worked): 9a
Hardest Sport (Onsight): 8a+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E10
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E7
Hardest Trad (Flash): E7
Notable Partnerships
Angus Kille
Maddy Cope

Hazel Findlay is one of the UK's most accomplished female climbers with many hard sport and trad ascents to her name.

The daughter of Steve Findlay, she started climbing at an early age and was active around the south west of the UK. In 2011 she climbed Once Upon a Time in the Southwest at Dyers Lookout and became the first British woman to climb E9, and in 2014 she climbed Fish Eye at Oliana to become the first British woman to climb 8c.

Hazel has continually expanded the limits of her climbing with a long string of impressive sport and trad climbs. Of particular note is her ascent of Magic Line E10/8c+ in 2019, a Ron Kauk route in Yosemite with a reputation born from repelling a slew of very capable aspirants. Hazel's ascent was only the third in 25 years, and the second placing the gear on lead.

In 2022 she became the second British woman (after Emma Twyford) to climb 9a with her ascent of Escalatamàsters.

Alongside her climbing she has a deep interest in the mental aspects of climbing and runs Strong Mind, a coaching company focused on mental techniques for improving your climbing.

References

[1] Interview with Soline Kentzel for grimper.com, May 2023 https://www.grimper.com/news-femmes-falaises-hazel-findlay-you-don-need-balls-to-be-bold

Contributors: remus

Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8A
Hardest Sport (Worked): 9a
Hardest Sport (Onsight): 8a+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E10
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E7
Hardest Trad (Flash): E7
Notable Partnerships
Angus Kille
Maddy Cope

Hazel Findlay is one of the UK's most accomplished female climbers with many hard sport and trad ascents to her name.

The daughter of Steve Findlay, she started climbing at an early age and was active around the south west of the UK. In 2011 she climbed Once Upon a Time in the Southwest at Dyers Lookout and became the first British woman to climb E9, and in 2014 she climbed Fish Eye at Oliana to become the first British woman to climb 8c.

Hazel has continually expanded the limits of her climbing with a long string of impressive sport and trad climbs. Of particular note is her ascent of Magic Line E10/8c+ in 2019, a Ron Kauk route in Yosemite with a reputation born from repelling a slew of very capable aspirants. Hazel's ascent was only the third in 25 years, and the second placing the gear on lead.

In 2022 she became the second British woman (after Emma Twyford) to climb 9a with her ascent of Escalatamàsters.

Alongside her climbing she has a deep interest in the mental aspects of climbing and runs Strong Mind, a coaching company focused on mental techniques for improving your climbing.

References

[1] Interview with Soline Kentzel for grimper.com, May 2023 https://www.grimper.com/news-femmes-falaises-hazel-findlay-you-don-need-balls-to-be-bold

Contributors: remus

Lists


Podcasts


Pics + Vids

Tainted Love aka Northern Soul (E8, FA)
Added at 16:08 on 09 August 2023
Bara Brith Low (7C+)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 16:01 on 08 January 2024
The Hallucinogen Wall (E9)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 07:10 on 21 October 2023
Hard Crit (8a)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 12:03 on 23 March 2024
Concepción (E8)
Added at 07:07 on 21 July 2023
Mind Control (8c)
Added at 11:12 on 19 December 2020
Once Upon a Time in the Southwest (E9)
Added at 11:12 on 19 December 2020
Strawberries (E7)
Added at 08:01 on 14 January 2021
Donkey Kong (8a+)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 12:02 on 10 February 2021
Surreal Appeal (E7)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 08:07 on 09 July 2021
From a Distance (E7)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 06:08 on 30 August 2021
Roof of a Baby Buddha (7C+)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 20:09 on 17 September 2021
Heart of Stone (E7)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 22:07 on 25 July 2021
Impact Day (E8)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 21:09 on 19 September 2021
Muy Caliente! (E9)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 22:06 on 28 June 2021
Mind Control (8c)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 13:02 on 23 February 2022
Esclatamàsters (9a)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 16:03 on 10 March 2022
Esclatamàsters (9a)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 15:03 on 11 March 2022
Esclatamàsters (9a)
Added at 14:03 on 28 March 2022
The Phoenix (E7)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 07:12 on 26 December 2022
Muy Caliente! (E9)
Added at 09:05 on 04 May 2022
Impact Day (E8)
Added at 09:10 on 07 October 2022

Ascents

28 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 Style Ascent Date
2011 San Simian E8 Lead | worked May 2011
Once Upon a Time in the Southwest E9 Lead | worked Jul 2011
First female ascent.

With this ascent Hazel became the first British woman to climb E9.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/07/hazel_findlay_on_once_upon_e9-63019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUUyI39FOf4

2012 Tombola E7 Lead | onsight 2012
2013 Les Ailes du Désir Extension 8a Lead | onsight 2013

Hazel's first 8a onsight.

Kalea Borroka 8b+ Lead | worked Feb 2013
Chicama E9 Lead | worked Mar 2013
2014 Fish Eye 8c Lead | worked 6th Apr 2014
2015
2016
2017 Tainted Love aka Northern Soul E8 Lead | worked 2017
Mind Control 8c Lead | worked Mar 2017
The Phoenix E7 Lead | flash 9th Nov 2017
Salathé Wall 8a+ Lead | worked Dec 2017
2018
2019 Concepción E8 Lead | worked 2019
Magic Line E10 Lead | worked 26th Nov 2019
2020 Mission Impossible E9 Lead | worked 22nd Sep 2020
Donkey Kong 8a+ Lead | onsight 22nd Nov 2020
2021 Muy Caliente! E9 Lead | worked 27th Jun 2021

I just feel like if I didn't try it I would regret it...If you fall and break your ankles you obviously regret that as well!

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

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2021/06/muy_caliente_e9_6c_by_hazel_findlay-72810

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BRrUSCBDwo

Surreal Appeal E7 Lead | flash 8th Jul 2021
Heart of Stone E7 Lead | flash 24th Jul 2021
Fourteen Years Later Low 8A Boulder | worked 25th Jul 2021
From a Distance E7 Lead | onsight Aug 2021
Impact Day E8 Lead | worked Sep 2021
Roof of a Baby Buddha 7C+ Boulder | worked 17th Sep 2021
2022 Esclatamàsters 9a Lead | worked 9th Mar 2022
2023 The Hallucinogen Wall E9 Alternate Leads | worked 16th Oct 2023
2024 Bara Brith Low 7C+ Boulder | worked 8th Jan 2024
Hard Crit 8a Lead | onsight Mar 2024
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Esclatamàsters 9a Lead | worked 9th Mar 2022
Fish Eye 8c Lead | worked 6th Apr 2014
Mind Control 8c Lead | worked Mar 2017
Kalea Borroka 8b+ Lead | worked Feb 2013
Salathé Wall 8a+ Lead | worked Dec 2017
Donkey Kong 8a+ Lead | onsight 22nd Nov 2020 8a+
Les Ailes du Désir Extension 8a Lead | onsight 2013

Hazel's first 8a onsight.

Hard Crit 8a Lead | onsight Mar 2024
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Fourteen Years Later Low 8A Boulder | worked 25th Jul 2021
Roof of a Baby Buddha 7C+ Boulder | worked 17th Sep 2021
Bara Brith Low 7C+ Boulder | worked 8th Jan 2024
Corridors of Power 7C+ Boulder | worked
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Magic Line E10 Lead | worked 26th Nov 2019
Once Upon a Time in the Southwest E9 Lead | worked Jul 2011
First female ascent.

With this ascent Hazel became the first British woman to climb E9.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/07/hazel_findlay_on_once_upon_e9-63019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUUyI39FOf4

Chicama E9 Lead | worked Mar 2013
Mission Impossible E9 Lead | worked 22nd Sep 2020
Muy Caliente! E9 Lead | worked 27th Jun 2021

I just feel like if I didn't try it I would regret it...If you fall and break your ankles you obviously regret that as well!

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

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2021/06/muy_caliente_e9_6c_by_hazel_findlay-72810

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BRrUSCBDwo

The Hallucinogen Wall E9 Alternate Leads | worked 16th Oct 2023
Tainted Love aka Northern Soul E8 Lead | worked 2017
San Simian E8 Lead | worked May 2011
Concepción E8 Lead | worked 2019
Impact Day E8 Lead | worked Sep 2021
Tombola E7 Lead | onsight 2012
The Phoenix E7 Lead | flash 9th Nov 2017
Surreal Appeal E7 Lead | flash 8th Jul 2021
Heart of Stone E7 Lead | flash 24th Jul 2021
From a Distance E7 Lead | onsight Aug 2021
Strawberries E7 Lead | worked
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade