February Hits

Surprisingly another new problem was put up at the main boulder at TDA. A fairly obviously line at that which somehow got overlooked over the years! Marijus Šmigelskis added an alternate sit start to "Skunk", starting as for "Invisible Monsters" and climbing straight up and slightly left to create "Monster Skunk" 7C.

At Redhill, Andrew Wood sent the classic traverse testpiece "Elfen Lied" 8A on his 1st try after two previous sessions working the line. Later that day, he made an impressive flash of the powerful "Madness the Magnet" 7B+. Marijus Šmigelskis added a harder finish to "The Crazy 88" which involved a big throw to poor slopers, to create "Pai Mei" 8A+.

Marijus on "Pai Mei".

 Edvinas Šmigelskis visited Turkey's premier bouldering area, Bafa Lake and managed to get some impressive sends in on his 2 week stay. The highlights were fast sends of "Epifanic" 8A+, the dyno problem "Kill Bill" 7C/8A and "Moon Safari" 8A.

Edvinas on "Epifanic".

Redhill Additions

Redhill continued to see a lot of activity over January, with Emile Esterhuizen managing to climb "Elfen Lied", an 8A traverse and then continue to link it into the problem's reverse (dubbed "The Untitled Symphony of Self-destruction, a 7C+ on it's own). The result was a 25 move traverse which was jokingly named "There and Back Again by Emile Esterhuizen" and given an 8A+ traverse grade. Marijus Šmigelskis made a second ascent after adding a few new problems of his own. First to fall was "The Crazy 88", a powerful line through a roof, with hard pulls off small crimps and slopers which went at 8A. Next was "Black Hoodie Rap" 7C, which climbs the "Four Singers Extension" to join the crux dyno of "Shark Lord Darron". And finally, "Madness the Magnet" 7B+, a short burly problem sharing the same boulder as "The Crazy 88".

Marijus on "The Crazy 88".

Emile continued his good sending form to send "Caveman" 7C at TDA. The lines starts as for "Invisible Monsters" and joins "THC" and is probably Cape Town's most popular 7C.

Decemeber Hits

At Redhill, Dom Riordan just managed to squeeze in one of his 2008 goals by sending "Elfen Lied" (traverse grade 8A) on the last day of the year, along with "High Maintenance" 7C a few days prior.

Despite the heat, Rocklands saw several 7C sends, with Shaun Harris ticking "Cabe Town" at the Fortress, Edvinas Šmigelskis sent "Arch Baby" and Marijus Šmigelskis did "The Outback", confirming the downgrade from 8A.

Donovan Willis added another classic to the under-developed Malelane Gorge in Mpumalanga with "Ejector Seat", a hard dyno off poor crimps. The full line will have a few more moves and a sit start, but the jump and top out alone go at about 7B+.

Emile in Oz

Emile Esterhuizen made a visit down under to the Grampian Mountains in Australia. At the Hollow Mountain Cave and managed to send "X-treme Cool" 7C and the impressive "Sleepy Hollow" 8A+ fairly quickly. He also came frustratingly close to linking the two problems, which create "Under Siege" 8B+, falling just a few moves from the end of the massive line.

Emile on "Sleepy Hollow"

Deadwood Eliminates

It seems a desperate need for something fresh to climb has resulted in several eliminate problems being established at the Deadwood boulder at TDA. Greg Streatfield squeezed in "Dionysus" 7C (although it seems the grade will settle at 7B+), rounding the arete and topping out at the same place as "Scissor Fight". Michael Janata's creation "The Bimbler" 7C is slightly less eliminate, slightly harder, and also shares the same top out. Andrew Wood then added a lower start to "the Bimbler" to create "Dead Yeti" at 7C+. Andrew also made a 4th try ascent of "Weichei" 7C+ at the Plateau boulders in Rocklands.

Dale Posthumus on "Scissor Fight"