Climbers

Gritstone headpoint wad.

Nik Jennings:

First time I met Dan was bouldering at the Foundry. The next day he suggested we go climbing outside (I was a very green, led a couple is VS’s, climber). He had me belay him on Kaluza Klein... “If I fall off just jump off this ledge”

Errrr ok....

He then proceeded to fall of the top, repeatedly... [1]

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,31049.msg626044.html#msg626044

Dave sadly took his own life in 2014.

I remember laughing like a drain hearing about him smearing Vaseline on the holds of a project at Kilnsey to stop a French superstar stealing it. [1]

Dave was a lovely guy. I first met him up in Newcastle when I was just starting my climbing career, and kept in touch when he moved to Sheffield. He had lots of time and patience for a shy kid. I was once coming down to sheffield for a competition and Dave offered for me to stay in his room for the weekend. He was going away but, with typical kindness, told me to help myself to anything in his food cupboard. After he left I went to the kitchen to make myself some dinner and opened the cupboard to find six bottles of fat burner pills and a mouldy potato. [2]

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,25009.msg465272.html#msg465272

[2] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,25009.msg465387.html#msg465387

[3] Features in The Width of Life

[4] https://www.dailycamera.com/2014/11/18/chris-weidner-a-lost-goodbye-to-colorado-climber-dave-pegg/

[5] https://rockandice.com/lates-news/dave-pegg-king-of-rifle-has-died/

[6] https://rockandice.com/lates-news/living-with-a-very-serious-climber/

Elias is an Italian boulderer and arguably the worlds strongest.

In 2021/22 he made ascents of Gioia and Ganesh both at 8C+.

He was shot into the limelight in early 2024 with the fourth ascent of Burden of Dreams, using a unique beta. In 2025 Elias first ascented Italys hardest boulder in The Big Slamm giving it 9A/V17, taking him around 35 sessions.

In late 2025 Elias established Exodia, the first proposed 9A+/V18 in the world. He spent over 200 sessions on the boulder starting in 2021.

Isabelle Faus is an American boulderer with many hard ascents to her name. Alongside contemporaries like Alex Puccio she was one of the first women to become established at 8B+. She was also one of the first women to start opening new, hard boulders in the 8B and upwards range.

References

[1] Ask Me Anything, 2016 https://www.reddit.com/r/climbing/comments/52l8e3/hi_there_im_jorg_verhoeven_ask_me_anything/

References

[1] Interview with UKClimbing.com https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2022/07/josh_ibbertson_on_rainman_training_and_the_future-73109

橋本 京太

Features in Statement of Youth.

Prolific developer around the south west england and south wales.

Medji Schalack is a competition climber from Chambery in France.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd4C6haxPDY

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/04/neil_nige_kershaw_-_golden_feet+local_hero-53061

John Cleare:

But rock was his medium. On it he was superb. He was tall and slim with powerful arms and steel fingers and he moved over it with the ease and grace of an elongated leopard—never have I seen him awkward or harassed on even the most uncompromising climb. Whatever move he made it was photogenic. Bubbling with enthusiasm and assurance one could want no better companion on the rope and he was the safest climber with whom I have shared it. His death is such an ironic tragedy. [1]

References

[1] Obituary in the Alpine Journal 1977 by John Cleare. Alpine Journal 1977 265-273 In Memoriam

References

[1] https://gripped.com/profiles/interview-with-sonnie-trotter-about-his-new-book-uplifted/

References

[1] Podcast with Niall Grimes, originally recorded in 2021 and then re-released in 2025 https://open.spotify.com/episode/5NHG7EfwMMQnphpUyAIm2Z

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/09/thomas_willenberg_exclusive_interview-64154

References

[1] Interview with PlanetMountain, 1999 https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/yuji-hirayama.html