Team Geared Up

Dave MacLeod has climbed the first ever E11 in the world, just outside Glasgow. He is certainly one of the world’s finest all round climbers, establishing some of Scotland’s hardest winter climbs and of course his latest accomplishment speaks for itself.

I am well psyched and very relieved. I’ve hardly done anything else except try this route for nearly 2 years.

This year, with stronger fingers I still took one bad fall from the last move, spraining my ankles, cutting up my feet and generally making a mess of myself. The swing in was really bad, I was worried that if I could sprain my ankles going feet first, what would happen if I flipped and went head first, even with a helmet on? I nearly tested it once in October when the rope wrapped around my leg as I fell, crushing my calf. I just managed to pull my head out of the way and messed up my back instead. The other major thing on my mind was that the top RP snapped on one fall and I glanced the belay ledge as I went passed (70 footer). If it had snapped a split second later there is potential to die on the belay ledge? Well, it doesn’t matter now I did it on Sunday.