I've not felt like writing much for well over a year. Mostly it's because there has been a major change in our lives.
We've been happily cruising through life, always climbing, taking good health for granted and blissfully unaware of the passage of time.
Then Elaine was diagnosed with cancer in June 2023. Long story short: surgery, immunotherapy treatment, anti-angiogenic drugs, so many appointments and finally it's looking like she's in the clear. Luckily, living in France, the care she has received has been incredible. We're sincerely grateful to everyone involved. It's obviously been a very difficult time for both of us. But she's one of the lucky ones. Sadly, we've lost a lot of friends recently to cancer.
So, there haven't been as many trips away or any real "King Lines" ticked for a long time. Never mind, we'll soon get back to normal.
However I have been thinking a lot about one particular King Line just recently, well since 16 January as it marked the 20th anniversary of me doing a very special climb down here on the Côte d'Azur.
Pretty soon after moving here in 1999, I remember an Italian climber doing the full version of the 7c+ I was trying at Castillon (Mortal Kombat). I was instantly inspired, the only problem was that it was given 8c (2 grades above my hardest ever) and, therefore, too hard for me. Then Yuji and Christian Brenna both on-sighted it and gave it 8b+. Hmm, maybe it might be possible, I thought to myself.
During the next couple of years I had an occasional play on the moves, only to find them desperate and give up each time. Then, during the summer and autumn of 2004 I hit a really good period when I was definitely fitter and doing lots of 8as quickly, with a few really good 8a+s too. I decided to commit myself to really trying to do Mortal Kombat, as soon as it got cold enough to go back to Castillon. By that time the strong locals had downgraded it to a mere 8b, immediately after Muriel Sarkany and Leila Hachem became the first women to succeed, which I thought seemed rather unfair.
Whatever. Regardless of the grade, it's a truly awesome climb up an amazing overhanging wall. It's the most striking feature when you arrive at the crag, I'm sure everyone has looked up and, for a moment at least, been hooked by it's magic spell and imagined themselves up there on such a compelling line. Axel Franco created a masterpiece, truly one of the best. It is both physically and mentally demanding, very steep and being about 45 metres long, it takes a lot of concentration and effort to stay totally focused for a long time.
The route breaks down into 3 parts.
Firstly, a hard 15-metre 7c+, that you have to get well dialled so as not to use up too much energy, to a good but awkward rest.
Secondly, you're straight into the hard climbing, about 20 metres of tricky moves, including a weird shoulder move on a 2 finger pocket, followed by undercuts and big reaches with poor footholds. Then a massive span up left off a small improved hold hopefully gains the poor tufa. A couple of desperate moves right on the limit then, at last, the chance to get a kneebar and the first rest. Lots of shuffling with kneebars leads to the top of the tufa and the last rest before committing to the last of the hardest sequences, moving up and right to the continuation of the tufa and another kneebar (see Phil Maurel's excellent photo of Axel Franco on the first ascent). One more tricky move leads to a reasonable rest at some big enough undercuts, where you can recover. From the top of the 7c+ to there is probably a good 8a+ in itself.
Thirdly, the top is probably only 7c, but it's another 10 metres of complicated climbing where the pump really kicks in. You really have to make sure to work out the best way. It's technical and fingery, and it's still possible to fall off and blow it (I know at least one strong local who has come to grief there). You have to concentrate all the way to the chain, otherwise you'll be off and have to try again another day, as you'll be finished for that day.
So, quite early in the Castillon season, on Sunday 16 January 2005, all the planets aligned, gravity was weak, and I finally realised my dream. I was 46 at the time and definitely the oldest person to have climbed Mortal Kombat. It was even reported on Phil Maurel's "Nice Climbs" website, under the heading "Le promenade de l'Anglais" (despite me being Welsh) with an accompanying photo.
It was a very special day, not just for me: Boule did La Niaque and Thierry did his first 8a (Trace Direct). Jean was there, too, he'd recently done his first 7c at the tender age of 67!
Happy memories indeed. In fact, at some point during most days, I find myself remembering that day. You'll know when, just look for the dreamy, faraway look and the big smile on my face.
Where did those 20 years go?
Big thanks to Axel for equipping such a fantastic climb and to Elaine for all the encouragement and patient belays.
