Robinson Cleans Up From Dirt

12/13/10 - News link: Paul Robinson is showing no signs of slowing down in Switzerland: On Sunday, he climbed From Dirt Grows the Flowers (V15) in Chironico for a likely fifth ascent.

This Dave Graham problem climbs straight up and ends with a mantle, but Robinson instead chose to climb left, adding seven moves that lead to the lip. Brit Micky Page recently sent the problem using this beta, and Graham agrees that the left topout is about the same difficulty as the original exit. According to 27crags.com, Robinson kept falling off the top because the harder section below kept fatiguing him. "Amazing boulder, one of the best!" Robinson says on 8a.nu. "I got psyched for the left variant and decided to try that way... Psyched!" From Dirt makes his second V15 in Switzerland (see his full ticklist at 8a.nu).

With a week left in Switzerland—he's heading to Fontainebleau, then will return to Ticino in February—Robinson has yet to tick The Story of Two Worlds (V15) and Confessions (V14), two more of Graham's problems. (Adam Ondra flashed Confessions in 2009.)

Italy's Michele Caminati made an ascent of The Dagger (V14) in Cresciano, which has seen repeats this season thus far by Robinson and Carlo Traversi. Caminati has climbed such problems as Graham's The Island (V15) in Fontainebleau.

Date of ascent: December 12, 2010

Sources: 8a.nu, 27crags.com, Climbing.com