Texas Hold 'Em & Vitruvian Man

Written by LakesBloc Monday, 05 March 2007 00:00

After an intense trip to Hueco Tanks - where he amounted an impressive list of sends, including a repeat of a new(ish) Chris Sharma 8a+/V12 - Neil Kershaw was back on home turf and showing no signs of a letup. After eying up a couple of neat projects on Trowbarrow quarry's Shelter Stone he set to work. Neil gives us the lowdown…

1. Texas Hold 'Em 7b+/V8
This takes the independent line just left of Isla de Encanta. Start standing with a left hand undercut and right hand sidepull. Climb up and right to the big slopey ledge and from here lock to the slopey top. Uses some pretty wacky skills, with a crucial kneebar and toehook which are very far from obvious. Very Hueco-esque - without these it would be nails! The crux is cutting loose on the slopey ledge and swinging your heel up so good conditions are necessary too. Pretty solid 7b+, maybe a 7c? Quality wise it is probably the best problem on the boulder, even if I do say so myself! (Line: image top right.)

2. Vitruvian Man 7c/V9
Starts standing on holds just right of Problem 1 on the LakesBloc Trowbarrow topo. Pull on, move right to a large slopey hold, then blast straight up to the lip. As for the grade, probably 7c/+, I can't decide which one. Good conditions a must again. (Line: image bottom right.)

Greg Chapman made a quick repeat of Vitruvian Man agreeing with Neil that the grade was around the 7c/+ mark, with conditions and reach making the difference between success and failure. Greg also noted that this was as good as anything he'd done in the quarry.