12 April 2018
8B+ (C) by David Fitzgerald
David Fitzgerald, who started climbing in 2012 being 18 years old, has done Big Paw 8B+ (C) in Chironico.
"This is one of the best lines I've ever seen and the hardest I've climbed abroad. Using the mini-compression method, I had many doubts whether or not I could piece this one together on this short trip to Ticino, especially given how warm it has become here in Chironico lately. Ya gotta keep trying, though. Under the floodlights, I managed to put all doubt aside and stand on top of one of the best lines in the world! I can't express how happy this makes me feel. This one felt desperate on day one, conceivable on day two and effortless on day three. Funny how that can happen sometimes. Lines don't get much better than this! The whole trip is being documented by the Puzzleglass team for their upcoming film, 'The Blocbuster Project'".
I can totally understand how someone taller might consider their method hard 8B+, though. Itโs almost impossible to compare these vastly different methods and class them under the same grade. I believe the majority of opinions are split, some suggesting 8B+ and some suggesting 8C, so Iโm just throwing my honest opinion into the discussion. Itโs completely personal and subjective, but Iโm satisfied that what I climbed was a step up to anything Iโve done abroad."
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