Climbers

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/

Features in The Real Thing.

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

Dresden-based trad. and big wall free climber.

Features in Statement of Youth.

https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/446421228757391

Features in Fuk the System.

Emil Abrahamsson is a Swedish boulderer and youtuber. He has a very powerful climbing style, favouring steep compression problems and dynamic moves.

He competed on the world cup circuit for a number of years but more recently he has focused on outdoor bouldering and his youtube channel.