World Class: The Story of Aidan Roberts’ Bouldering Breakthrough

Focussing on a couple of months within the midst of the COVID crisis, the film follows the journey towards Aidan Roberts‘ ascent of the UK’s hardest boulder problem, Super Power (8C+), located at the Lad Stones in the Coppermine hills of the English Lake District. The road to this immense achievement saw Aidan send a slew of new lines and hard repeats, all remarkably close to his home in the Lakeland hills. Along the way Aidan, Dan Varian and Jack Palmieri flesh out the tale, providing context, a little history, and a reminder that you don’t have to travel half way around the globe to discover incredible climbing locations. Meanwhile, Sam Lawson and Ollie Torr do an impeccable job of putting the film together and there’s some truly stunning footage of the Lake District as a whole, as well as that of the inspiring climbing itself. 

For me this was an especially enjoyable film, having had a direct connection and great memories of virtually every block, face and line in this film. Little did I know back in 2005/6 when I spent the better part of a Saturday shifting a metre square block from below what became Man Power that the “impossible sitter” starring back at me would ultimately become the UK’s hardest climb. 

Hope you enjoy the film as much as I did.