Vincent Pochon Keeps It Island

Posted January 4, 2010 at 11:24 am · Comments { 15 } ·

Accomplished Fontainebleau local Vincent Pochon recently repeated Dave Graham’s Font V15 The Island, adding what he felt was a more logical lower start from the right.  Kairn.com has an interview with Pochon (in French) in which he indicates that he had already done most of what would become Graham’s version of The Island back in 2007, but that he always felt it should start on the ground.  Climbing The Island via a likely V13 lower start from the left still looms…

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  • martin

    does he mean a v13 into the v15 or that there is another starting variation with the same finish that would be v13?
    Anyone understand this?

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    • http://climbingnarc.com Narc

      From what I’ve read this start would involve climbing a V13 and then doing The Island. V13 + V15 = V16??

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      • CJS

        I thought the “math” works like so:

        V15+V15 = V17
        V14+V15 = V16
        V13+V15 = V15

        No?

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  • http://dreaminvertical.wordpress.com Luke

    This equation has it at V16…

    {X+Y}/{2} + 2= Z

    But only if: |X-Y| <= 4]

    Where X is part 1, Y is part 2 and Z is the combined grade.

    http://climbingczar.blogspot.com/2009/11/equation.html

    Let the debate begin!

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  • wyclimber

    The old Tim O’Neil equation has it as V16 as well, but the equation works like so.
    {X+Y+4}/2=Z
    Where X is part 1, Y is part 2 and Z is the combined grade.

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  • Sid

    wyclimber, that’s actually the same equation…

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  • jenkins

    i think that if you are obsessing so much over grades that you debate over an equation for the proper calculation, you are the definition of a gumby. You obviously have no understanding of what v15s are like so why do you think could overrule the persons decision who actually climbed the problem. there is no equation for rockclimbing because every climb is different from the next

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  • Paul

    What is there’s a massive jug to shake on between the two? Why don’t we settle on a rock paper scissors match between climbers who disagree but can’t lift 10 pounds of their weight off the ground on a v15?

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  • CJS

    Well, we’re not really criticizing anyone else’s grade. We’re just wondering what happens when a V13 leads into a V15, presumably with little or no rest.

    But, that being said, I could SO get 10 pounds of my weight off the ground on a V15. You know, if I ever saw one.

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  • André

    Hey guys, if you wanna discussing “grading science”, why don’t you move this topic to 8a.nu? I’m sure Jens will be happy to help you out with some of his formulas ;)

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  • Moses

    Well in the interview he says that he believes the sit-start makes it a little bit harder, but that he doesn’t think the grade should be raised (I’ll be the first to admit that my French skills aren’t perfect though). I couldn’t find where it says that the moves were v13, but adding 3-5 v13 moves to a v15 is certainly going to make it feel harder in terms of overall exertion, but the hardest moves still remain v15. I think the thing we all have to keep in mind is that grading is subjective, it’s not a science and sitting around saying that the problem should be upgraded or downgraded should be reserved only for those who have actually climbed it.

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    • Moses

      yeahhh…I meant the hardest moves MAY still remain v15.

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    • http://climbingnarc.com Narc

      The V13 part is a different start than the one that Pochon did. Either way, I don’t think there is a boulder problem in the world that has a single “V15″ move on it.

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  • g

    funny there is no echo here of the debate going on in europe.

    since DG’s first ascent, a part of the fontainebleau locals have been criticizng the complicated “partially lying on a pile of rocks” start, since just below the rocks you had the possibility to make a more elegant stand-up start, that added only 2 moves (apparently not that hard) to the count.
    The debate lose it interest after some time.

    This latter start is what VP just did. (not to be confused with the project of a sit start).
    Those criticizing locals woke up from their lethargy stronger than ever, and the real extremists even ask that the original island boulder problem should be cancelled from the topo-website bleau.info

    wht d’ya think?
    How does it work in your local area for starting beta?
    It is totally up to the first ascentionist taste or there are some unwritten rules that are applied most of the times?
    (eg sitstarts with only one crashpad and ass firmly on it VS take the starting holds and crouch down, “french start”*** VS static methods, jump starts VS cheater stones, etc…)

    ***french start=in a stand, you take one starting hold and usually one foothold, swing the other arm and dyno to the second hold in the problem. It is called french because in fontainebleau it is a valid stand-up beta unless differently stated, the total opposite in britain (cheating unless differently stated).

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  • Zach

    If anyone wants to see exactly what the new start adds to the problem, there is a new video up of Vincent’s ascent on Vimeo.
    http://vimeo.com/9158157
    Check it out!

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