Aidan Roberts continues a rich vein of form by completing his long-term project at the Tilberthwaite Lad Stones, a sitting start to Man Power (8A) which he has named Superpower.
Tentatively graded Font 8C/+, this whopping grade, if confirmed, would make Superpower the hardest boulder problem in the UK!
Aidan first climbed Man Power around four years ago and immediately saw the potential of the unclimbed sit-start as a true test of his metal. Since then he has subsequently worked the sitter on and off, before climbing it on his ninth session. Aidan described how the problem is a difficult one to work:
“The holds are small to the extent that you get very few attempts before your skin and fingers throw in the towel. For me, it was only ever a maximum of 10 tries if I was lucky and my skin is generally pretty hard wearing.” Read more via Aidan’s Instagram post.
Dan Varian described the line as ‘the hardest problem in the UK of its style,’ stating that climbing the problem relies on immense levels of finger strength and body tension.
Around the same time, and also on the War Starter face, Aidan added another more amenable new climb in Lad Power (8A). This focussed line starts sitting on two quartz slots as per War Starter RH, before heading straight up using holds on Man/Super Power for the RH and holds on Axis Power for LH, before finishing as per Axis Power.