Ben Moon Sends V14

On November 18, after a year's-worth of effort, 40-year-old Ben Moon completed his hardest boulder problem, Voyager with a sit-down start (SDS), in Burbage West in the United Kingdom. "It's been really hard for me and is certainly the hardest bit of climbing I have done," writes Moon in his blog (moonclimbing.com). "I am pretty sure it's 8b+ [V14]."

Voyager SDS includes roughly 12 tenuous moves out a severely overhanging arete that Moon says involved over a minute of climbing on the rock. "I almost fell off after the crux in a couple of places and really had to dig deep," says Moon. "My strength was just gone."

Long regarded as one of the world's top boulderers, and first to redpoint the 5.14c rating with Hubble in Ravens Tor of the Peak District, Moon has had a phenomenal year of bouldering. In addition to the first ascent of Voyager (stand) on November 16, 2005 — a V13 — Moon also made a flash ascent of the Hueco Tanks testpiece Diaphanous Sea (V12) in the late winter season of this year.


Date of Ascent: November 18, 2006

Source: www.moonclimbing.com

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