David Graham´s Appetite

by Mick Ryan Slashface David Graham´s appetite for the hardest boulder problems continues. His latest meal, devoured last Friday, was Slashface V14 (Font 8b+) at Hueco Tanks (Texas) first climbed by Fred Nicole in 1998. He narrowly missed flashing this very steep and powerful intermittent crack, falling at the last move going for the finishing jug (see photo). He got it next try. Slashface has had several repeats including one by the UK´s Matt Birch. Slashface is the fourth Fred Nicole V14 (Font 8b+) that Graham has climbed on his latest Hueco trip, they are: El Techo de los Tres B, Terre de Sienne and Esperanza. He has yet to succeed on Nicole´s new V15 (Font 8c) Terremer, the sit-start to Terre de Sienne. He also repeated another V14 the Mandala sit-start at the Buttermilk (Bishop) a couple of months ago. Graham has had a phenomenal 12 months repeating established cutting edge sport routes and boulder problems and establishing many of his own including The Story of Two Worlds V15 (Font 8c) in Cresciano (Switzerland) and From The Dirt Grows The Flowers V15 (Font 8c) in Chironico (Switzerland) and his route Coup de Grace 9a+ (5.15a) in Ticino, Switzerland. The photos accompanying this report here and here give a good indication of the nature of Slashface and show Matt Wilder (spotted by Matt Birch) working this problem and were provided by Atlanta based outdoor action photographer Andrew Kornylak (www.akornphoto.com).

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