Koeberg 2nd Ascent

Marijus Šmigelskis has made the second ascent of "Koeberg" 8A+ at Bonnydoon in Topside, which was opened by Emile Esterhuizen earlier this year. The line is a likely candidate for Cape Town hardest problem and both Marijus and Emile agree it's harder than "Ard Ay" and "Boogie Nights" (the other two 8A+ problems in Topside). Emile's other desperate testpiece, "Möwe" at Redhill, is claimed to be harder but is unrepeated as yet so time will tell. Marijus used a completely different sequence for the crux move, using a fickle heel hook, instead of turning 180 degrees to get footlocks like Emile's sequence on the opening ascent.

Marijus on "Koeberg"

September Hits

Another Redhill testpiece "The Sound of Violence" 8A, got the treatment this month. Edvinas Šmigelskis kicked things off with the third ascent after Greg Streatfield worked out a static way of doing the crux dyno. Dominic Riordan, Shaun Harris and Greg were aboard the send train a few weeks later and all sent on the same day! A video of the opening ascent by Marijus Šmigelskis can be seen here. Greg also sent "Elfen Lied" 8A and Shaun did the reverse of the same problem, called "The Untitled Symphony of Self Destruction" 7C+. Marijus also did the second ascent of "Entropy" 8A+, the low start to "Chaos".

With the warm summer months approaching, Andrew Wood made a fairly hassle free repeat of the classic Classroom testpiece "Swim Coach" 7C+, before the heat makes the sloper crimps much harder to hold.

In between burns on "Koeberg", Marijus Šmigelskis has put up a bunch of quality new problems at Bonnydoon in Topside, the best of which are probably "7 Mouths, 8 Tongues" 7A and the easier right hand finish to "The buoyancy of Citrus" which has been named "Enhanced Coziness" 7C, after the grip on Andrew Wood's new toothbrush.

Emile Esterhuizen and friends have been busy developing a new area in the Southern Cederberg, North of Ceres. The area has been named "Houdenbek" and has loads of potential for hundreds of problem. So far, the hardest one there is "Bear Grylls" 7C, established by Marijus Šmigelskis. Topos and details are available on facebook.com on the "Houdenbek Bouldering" group page.

At Rocklands the season seems to be drawing to a close. However, Jon Reading managed to send "Caroline" and "Rooi Klavier" both 7C, and Karen Varga sent "Dirty Lies" 7B. Julia Chen made a fast send of "The Fin" 7A at Kleinfontein after a trip back to the car to get a better toe hooking shoe and Dale Posthumus put "Jaws" 7C to rest.

Dale on "Jaws".

August Hits

The Redhill testpiece "Chaos" 8A has finally seen some action. Dominic Riordan got the second ascent followed by Edvinas Šmigelskis, and Shaun Harris. Dominic returned shortly after to add a lower start off the pedestal, bumping the grade up a notch resulting in "Entropy", his first 8A+. "Chaos" was originally opened by Emile Esterhuizen at 7C but he had deviated slightly from how the project was intended to go, and so Marijus Šmigelskis claimed the first ascent of the proper line in 2007 which required a big pull off a sloper rail to small slopey edges.

Andrew Wood has been busy cleaning up at TDA. He added a sit start to the "Skunk Dyno" at 7C and then clocked in a few days of effort to make the second ascent of the traverse "Chinese Nosebleed" 7C+. Then after a few more sessions he did the extension "The Last Line of Defence" 8A as well, his first of the grade.

Donovan Willis has added another hard problem to the boulders of Kaapsehoop. "The Frailty of Sentimentality" 7C was a long term project in the Forest sector and is likely to be hard for its grade.

Emile Esterhuizen completed his long term project "Möwe" at Redhill. The line which follows the lip of a large roof will weigh in somewhere around 8A+ or 8B mark and is harder than Emile's previous creation "Koeberg" 8A+ at Topside. The problem starts on large underclings and then moves rightwards on tiny letterbox slot crimps to make a powerful move to a gaston before topping out.

Woody send Voodoo Thursday

Andrew Wood has made the 4th ascent of the desperate TDA testpiece "Voodoo Thursday" 7C+ after 4 sessions of working the problem. This is Andrew's first 7C+ and comes only weeks after climbing his first 7C, "Caveman" also at TDA.

Andrew on "Voodoo Thursday"

Black Shadow for Marijus

In Rocklands, Julia Chen did "Creeper" 7A, which is the right hand start to the ultra classic "Human Energy" at the Plateau Boulders. Marijus Šmigelskis sent "Black Shadow" 8B. It took Marijus 2 afternoons to work out a sequence for the problem, then returning a few weeks later, he managed to grab defeat from the jaws of victory and fell off from the finishing hold. The next Friday, he returned to send the line on his first go of the day...

Marijus on "Black Shadow"