Malcolm Smith (climber)

Malcolm Smith (born 1973, Dunbar, Scotland) is a Scottish rock climber and competition climber who won the bouldering IFSC Climbing World Cup in 2002.[1]

Malcolm Smith
Personal information
NationalityBritish
Born1973 (age 50–51)
Dunbar, Scotland
Height178 cm (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Climbing career
Type of climberSport climbing, bouldering
Highest grade
Medal record
IFSC Climbing World Cup
Winner 2002 Bouldering
Updated on May 2014

Smith is known for tough training regimes in his bouldering. He is one of only a handful of climbers to have repeated Fred Nicole's boulder problem, Dreamtime V14 (8B+) at Cresciano,[2] and has made first ascents of boulder problems up to 8B+ (V14), such as Monk Life in Northumberland,[3] and Pilgrimage at Parisella's Cave in North Wales.[4] Smith has also competed internationally in bouldering competitions, winning the 2002 IFSC Climbing World Cup.

When he was aged 18, he repeated Ben Moon's sport climbing route Hubble, at Raven Tor.[1]

He is the brother of Scottish visual artist Sandy Smith.

Filmography

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  • Documentary on Smith's training techniques: Heap, Richard (director) (2006). Splinter (Motion picture). Slackjaw Film. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  • Documentary on Smith, Jerry Moffatt, and Ben Moon bouldering in Cresciano: Heap, Richard (director) (2001). Stone Love (Motion picture). Slackjaw Film. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  • Documentary on British bouldering: Pritchard, Ben (director) (2001). Stick It (Motion picture). Slackjaw Film. ASIN B000K2Y798. Retrieved 16 January 2022.

Notable ascents

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First ascents unless otherwise stated.

Routes

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1991 Magnetic Fields, F8b, Malham Cove. Repeat.[5]

1992 Hubble, F8c+, Raven Tor. Second ascent.[6] Now sometimes considered F9a,[6] which would make Malcolm the 3rd man ever to climb F9a.

1993 Steall Appeal, F8b, Steall Hut Crag.[7]

1994 Transcendence, E8 6c, Back Bowden Doors. Malcolm originally gave the route E9 7a but it was downgraded by second ascendent Robin Barker also in 1994. It received its 3rd ascent in 2019.[8]

2000 Transform, F8c,  Malham Cove.[9]

2007 Black Out, F8c, The Anvil.[10]

2007 The Smiddy, F8b+, The Anvil.[11]

2008 Unjustified, F8c, Malham Cove. Repeat.[12]

2010 Blood Diamond, F8c+, The Anvil.[13]

2010 Hunger, F9a, The Anvil. Scotland’s first F9a.[14]

Bouldering

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2001 Eight Ball, Font 8b, Gardoms Edge. Second or third ascent.

2001 Careless Torque, Font 8a+, Stanage Plantation. Second ascent.

2001 The Ace, Font 8b, Stanage Plantation. Second or third ascent.

2003 Lothlorian, Font 8b, Kyloe-in-the-woods.

2003 Leviathan, Font 8b+, Kyloe-in-the-woods.

2003 Monk Life, Font 8b+, Kyloe-in-the-woods.

2004 Pilgrimage, Font 8b+, Parisella's Cave.

2004 Dreamtime, Font 8c, Cresciano. Some give it Font 8b+.

2005 Supersize Me, Font 8b, Dumbarton Rock.

2007 The Serum of Sisyphus, Font 8a+, Dumbarton Rock.

2010 Gut buster, Font 8b+, Dumbarton Rock.

2010 Grande Tour, Font 8b, Dumbarton Rock.

2010 Firefight, Font 8b, Dumbarton Rock. Sent on same day as Grande Tour.

2010 Le Saboteur, Font 8a+, Dumbarton Rock.

2010 Perfect Crime Extension, Font 8a+, Dumbarton Rock.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "FreakClimbing.com - Interview with Malcolm Smith". FreakClimbing.com.
  2. ^ "Dreamtime at Cresciano, the boulder problem by Fred Nicole between dream and reality". PlanetMountain.com. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Nigel Callender repeats Monk Life - Font 8B+". UKClimbing.com. March 2011.
  4. ^ "Smith Does 5.14+ Traverse - Climbing.com". Climbing.com. Archived from the original on 22 May 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2008.
  5. ^ "Post". The Project Magazine. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Hubble (climbing route)", Wikipedia, 24 February 2022, retrieved 28 February 2022
  7. ^ "The Quest for Scottish 8c - ScottishClimbs". www.scottishclimbs.com. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  8. ^ "NEWS: Third ascent of Transcendence E8 6c by Dan Varian". www.ukclimbing.com. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  9. ^ "UKC Logbook - 'Transform'". www.ukclimbing.com. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  10. ^ "UKC Logbook - 'Black Out'". www.ukclimbing.com. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  11. ^ "UKC Logbook - 'The Smiddy'". www.ukclimbing.com. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Malc Smith climbs Unjustified 8c - Malham". www.ukclimbing.com. 3 June 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  13. ^ "UKC Logbook - 'Blood Diamond'". www.ukclimbing.com. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  14. ^ "UKC Logbook - 'Hunger'". www.ukclimbing.com. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
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