All climbers

References

[1] https://lafabriqueverticale.com/en/josune-bereziartu-a-peaceful-transition/

References

[1] AMA on reddit.com/r/iama, September 2018 https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/9fkki7/we_are_tommy_caldwell_a_climber_who_spent_6_years/

Maddy is one of the top female climbers in the UK with a particular focus on trad and multi-pitch climbing.

References

[1] Interview with Lattice Training, May 2019 https://latticetraining.com/2019/05/03/interview-maddy-cope/

Features in Life on Hold.

References

[1] Neil's first ascents https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/ticklists/neils_new_routes-121

Antoine Le Menestrel:

You etched climbing in to our culture, you brought climbing up to an art form. You lived climbing, it was your lifestyle, I was still a student, looking on. I loved to watch you climb, your suppleness passed over in to my body. [1]

Lynn Hill:

Patrick will always have a place in my heart and memories. The times I spent eating dinner at his house, laughing, working together for "Rock and Wall" magazine, and climbing on the beautiful cliffs of Southern France were precious moments of life. Being from the same generation, I was inspired by Patrick's visionary achievements when he came to the States and on-sighted many of the hardest routes in the country. [1]

Jerry Moffatt:

A memory which stands out was when he took me out in his new HF Lancia Integral. He was a great driver and after warming up the engine went absolutely flat out! However at no time did I feel scared. Such was his charisma, he had an aura of total confidence and control. [1]

References

[1] Tributes to Patrick Edlinger, https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/patrick_edlinger_-_le_blond-5117

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/3470129359719881

[3] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/928362310563278

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZlxY5rNGJk

[5] Portrait by Gérard Kosicki https://www.instagram.com/p/CpGPhnQqTbe/

[6] Climbing in Cimaï, 1980s https://www.instagram.com/p/C_7fEUvtS-r/

[7] https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GHP3L6JrJAAnjRlWaqxw7?

[8] https://open.spotify.com/episode/0tiGG5Q3q4kJYDvoIYIxZr?

Cameron Burns: Why do you go climbing? What's your motivation?

I don't think there really a concrete definition of motivation. It’s just fun. Sometimes I've woken up hours before dawn and Just have to go climbing - and I'll go out and climb all day long. What's most important to me is tne really big day when I can't help but go out climbing. On a big soloing day, I often find myself trying not to run up to the base of the cliff, but then I’ll just take off running up to the base of the cliff. I remember reading in Herman Buhl's book, Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage about how he was driven to do stuff and he didn’t really know why. I don’t have concrete goals in that if I do such and such then I'll be able to climb Everest or if I do this and this and this, then I'll be able to climb 5.14. The things I’m most pleased with are days when I've really pushed hard and seen how far I can go. [1]

References

[1] Mountain 143 (1992), page 19 /library/11327/mountain-143

References

[1] Interview with http://escalade9.wifeo.com/, October 2010 http://escalade9.wifeo.com/pirmin-bertle.php

Guardian of Cheddar climbing in the 1970s and guidebook author.

A prolific fantasist. Unusually, he may have had the physical level to do many of his claimed ascents, with feats of strength demonstrated in the School Room [2].

However, in 2010 the claims became more outlandish: an unbeaten amateur boxing record, a sub 2hr30min marathon, a sub 4 minute mile and a very quick solo ascent of the long, loose Hasse-Brandler route. None of these claims have been verified.

This lead to further scrutiny of his prior claims and it transpired that many were likely fabricated [5]. For example, he was unable to name a belayer or any witness of his 2005 claim on Action Directe, despite travelling to the Frankenjura with Chris Doyle to film his ascent.

References

[1] Obsession https://vimeo.com/6848413 by Chris Doyle.

[2] Chris Doyle on UKBouldering.com https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,16602.msg292502.html#msg292502

We were in the school for about 4 hours that day, he did loads of hard problems on repeat, 1-5-9 campussing loads of times etc.. He got on Perky Pinky but didn't manage to do it in a oner so i spliced two sections together. You can't deny he was bastard strong. I mean Neil Mawson has climbed 8c and he's not in the same book never mind the same page in terms of strength. Malc Smith sent me a message recently, he sounded pretty dumbfounded by it all and said that Simpson was the strongest climber he'd ever seen (and he's seen a few). None of this means much as hard proof is needed but you can't deny he was strong enough.

[3] Keith Bradbury discussing climbing with Rich https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,31564.msg647020.html#msg647020

I also climbed with Rich outdoors. In fact, I was with him for most that fateful trip in Frankenjura where we wrote off a car, he littered his jizz tissues all over my bed, and he probably didn't do Action Direct. I belayed him on lots of different routes. I did see him warm up on 8b routes (as in, actually doing them). I belayed him on some 9a's which he later claimed although I didn't see him do them. One of those was action direct. I belayed Rich for several sessions on Action Direct. I remember how bad conditions were some days with holds turning black instantly. I remember some days he was really struggling on the route and couldn't do the moves. Other days he would link sections consistently. I also saw him climb from just after the first jump to the top. That's when I realised Rich could definitely do it and it was a case of conditions and a good go. But then I left to go the UK for a week of exams and when I came back he'd ticked off a bunch of stuff... including Action Direct.

[4] Rich Simpson by Steve McClure, Climb Issue 44, page 36

[5] https://ukbouldering.com/threads/simpson-vanishes.16327/

Owner of UKBouldering.com and known for his 10+ year siege of the route Austrian Oak at Malham Cove.