James McHaffie 9a, 8c + 8b + E8 onsight...new video coming soon...
17th Aug 2011
James McHaffie may be most famed for his trad abilities but has shown recently that he's able to turn it on in more than one aspect of the sport when he completed the first repeat of Neil Carson's iconic Big Bang 9a at Lower Pen Trywn UK. 
James McHaffie
James's ascent comes after he climbed the 8c of Infanticide last year, which shares the same start. He then turned his attention to The Big Bang and committed to attempting the route, with multiple sessions on the line this summer. McHaffie, aged 30, commented to me that this route was possibly the one he has been most psyched for in his life and had dieted and trained very specifically. Talking to Pete robins (his great friend) Pete commented that 'he was even thinner than he (Pete was) when he repeated Liquid Ambar' - and if you've seen the photos that's thin!!
Following that James showed it was no fluke (like it was going to be LOL) when he went on to do Unjustified 8C and Predator 8b in a day at Malham. Predator is a classic 8b on the Catwalk at Malham and Unjustified is an extension to the 7b Something Stupid, also on the Catwalk at Malham. There has been some talk of this being low in the grade for 8c or even a tough 8b+, but regardless of which, James' fast ascent shows a man on good sport climbing form.
Then just to show that he's not dropped one aspect of climbing for another James completed the first onsight of Dawes Rides a Shovelhead E8 6c, Dave Birkett's route at Raven Crag Langdale, UK...
James has just been filmed on 'Big Bang' and the film should be ready soon....keep checking here to see it first...
Read more about James here...and see his latest videos too...
For his Big Bang ascent James was wearing Red Chili Matador Lace...
James onsight on Dawes Rides a Shovelhead E8 6c Raven Crag Langdale, UK...
The photos below still from are from Hotaches productions who filmed James' ascent of Dawes and you can see his ascent as more on a new film 'Islands: Traditional Tales of Lakeland Climbing' which will be premiered at Kendal Mountain Film Festival in Nov 2011....it's a co production from friend of Wild Country, Dom Bush of Land and Sky Productions and Hotaches. It looks great by the way!!
