by Mick Ryan – UKClimbing.com Yuji running it out. Hans Florine, 44, of Lafayette, California and Yuji Hirayama, 39, of Hidaka, Japan set a new speed record for climbing the 870m (2900´) Nose route on El Cap yesterday with a time of 2 hours, 37 minutes and 5 seconds beating their own 2 hours, 43 minutes and 33 seconds set on July 2nd this year. (UKClimbing.com News Report) Jesse McGahey, Yosemite Climbing Ranger, broke the news yesterday at Supertopo.com “There were about 200 people out in the meadow to watch this lap on El Cap´s Fast Track, and the boys didn´t let us down! From high flying 360s and cartwheels to 80 foot run outs on 5.10 cracks, Hans and Yuji were on their game! ” YESTERDAYS ASCENT IN PHOTOS: Big Wall Climber and El Cap Watcher Tom Evans has posted an illustrated report of Florine and Hirayama´s record-breaking attempt at Supertopo.com, click — El Cap Report 10/12/08. (Thanks Tom) The normal time to climb the Nose is 3 days although it is frequently climbed in a day by well-prepared and fit climbers. The first ascent of the Nose was achieved by Warren Harding, Wayne Merry, and George Whitmore on November 12th, 1958. It took 45 days work on the route over 18 months. The final push took 11 days.The first one day ascent was by Jim Bridwell, John Long and Billy Westbay in 1975. It took them about 17 hours and 40 minutes. Filmed by Japanese and American television crews, yesterdays ascent was even more remarkable as Yuji Hirayama had earlier in the week taken a 20 metre fall and had a badly swollen ankle. Last Wednesday the pair climbed the Nose in 2:48:23. Florine and Hirayama simul-climb with Hirayama always in the lead. Florine devised this method as the most efficient, but it risky, Hirayama faces a 100ft plus whipper if he falls.A History of Speed: 50 Years on the Nose See this graph: A History of Speed: 50 Years on the Nose courtesy of Climbing magazine that illustrates ascent times of the Nose since the first ascent in 1958.
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