It’s been almost eight years since Dave Graham did the FA of The Story of Two Worlds (V15) in Cresciano, Switzerland, and the one thing that has always been a bit of a mystery is whether or not there was any footage of the send. Various nuggets of information seemed to indicate there was, but the footage never surfaced in any videos…until yesterday.
An astute reader named Stuart tipped me off last night to an Australian website, Frontier, which posted a video featuring Graham on The Story Of Two Worlds. You can check it out here, with a bonus video of Graham and a crew of guys climbing a problem that I can’t say I recognize.
Of course The Story of Two Worlds has not been without its controversy over the years, mainly due to the somewhat ambiguous nature of where the problem actually starts. Dai Koyamada thought he had done the problem back in 2010, but he subsequently came to find out that he had started in the wrong spot. This would lead him to return to the problem in 2012 to climb it from a lower start, suggesting a grade of V16 for this interpretation of the boulder.
The release of this video of Graham’s ascent seems to indicate that Dai may have actually started in the right place back in 2010. Carlo Traversi seemed to think as much in a comment on the ClimbingNarc Facebook page. Without video of Dai’s first efforts on the problem it is hard to compare directly, but we can now compare how Dai’s low start compares with Dave’s original start. Comparing each video it seems like the low start adds one move before joining Dave’s sequence.
Dai’s Sequence
Dave’s sequence
I think that if there is one takeaway from this whole thing, it’s that Five Ten really needs to bring back the V10s!
Update: A few points of clarification based on comments made on 8a and elsewhere:
- The video of Graham is not of the actual send go
- Dai did start in the correct place in 2010
- Nobody seems to know who told Dai he started in the wrong spot in the first place
- Apparently in the U.S. it is common for us to not only require starting with our hands in the same place as the FA but also our feet in the same place. This is perhaps the most interesting and relavant news for me. I guess I’ll have to go back and reread every guidebook I own to see where I overlooked the specific foot beta for where to start every problem.
I noticed the same thing! Who called Dai out by the way? Can’t remember..
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The internet? I can’t quite remember.
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I seem to remember Dave Graham calling him out… Bit hypocritical. Not to mention Pknob, and 8a.poo
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Wonder if he can claim back the price of flights, accommodation and other expenses from the sponsors of the people that called him out. Sponsors might then have a duty of care over what these people write on the internet.
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The childish name calling really adds to the discussion.
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Not sure who first called him out, but I recall it ended with Paul Robinson climbing it from yet another different starting position and claiming the first repeat, discrediting Dai’s ascent in the process.
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The whole starting position argument has already been reignited on 8a.nu.
I kind of get the feeling that this is not actual FA footage, but a combination of footage of him working the sit and repeating the Dagger.
Anyway, it’s fascinating to finally be able to watch some video of Dave on this problem. It’s unbelievable that someone was just sitting on this footage for 8 years.
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Not surprisingly the theory posited on 8a makes zero sense and reigniting controversy is certainly not fruitful. It would be interesting to learn though whether or not Da did in fact start in the “correct” place when he first thought he did the problem. It would also be interesting to know a bit more about what the video is actually depicting. Is it the actual send go or is it just a re-enactment? Dave’s comments about the problem still feeling hard seem to indicate that it might be the latter, but maybe he’s just referring to the fact that after climbing the sit that the Dagger still feels hard.
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There’s also the part where Dave seems to be describing a solo send of the climb.
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You could email Dean Orange who made the video and ask for actual footage of an attempt from the start. I know he went up there alot with Dave at the time. It would be good to know once and for all. Its only fair after the slandering that was dealt Mr Koyamada.
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Poor Mr Koyamada.
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Around 3:30-31 seems like Dave’s feet or legs hit the cameraman or “something”.
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@Ted, I think that may have been the cameraman shifting- could have been a heavy jacket rustling or something along those lines. I noticed it as well.
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Actually I think it was footsteps in the gravel at the base of the climb- you’ll notice the cameraman seems to step back at that point in the video.
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I’m with you Narc. Need to bring back the V10s! First thing I noticed in the video ha.
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Did the V10s have the same heel as the Dragons? If so, I’m afraid I cannot support the demand for their return.
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I love how people talk shit about a video they haven’t even bothered to watch all the way through. In the interview Dave clearly states that he made the first ascent alone, with no one around, and that one-on-one struggle without people shouting encouragement made for an aesthetic experience.
The later footage is thus him doing it a second time for the cameras; hence the comment that it “still felt hard”.
If I ever get charged with a crime, I’m doing to demand a trial by judge. Screw taking your chances with a jury of “citizens”.
P.S. The demand for “uncut footage or it didn’t happen” will destroy climbing, so shove it.
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It is not “clearly” stated that he did it alone. It is somewhat implied by some things that Dave says, a fact that was acknowledged by multiple other commenters before you. Also, no one here was talking shit or demanding uncut footage. Chill out.
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Jon, it’s not implied, Dave says it clearly, albeit in his own spastic way; see 1:55- 2:48.
What was implied was the demand for uncut footage, by Tex. Apologies if I misinterpreted that remark, but such sentiments have become increasingly common and are to the supreme detriment of the climbing ethos. Hell even Jens has come out on the right side of that debate.
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The way I see it, there are three possible things that Dave could be describing in that part of the video: (1) A solo ascent of TSOTW (2) A solo ascent of the Dagger (3) A hypothetical scenario, rather than actual circumstances. That is why I don’t think we can be absolutely certain at this point, even if it seems likely that you are correct.
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Also, you were the one who insinuated that it wasn’t footage of the FA, and was likely composite footage rather than a single burn.
The first point is obviously true, the second has no basis behind it except for the fact that the video is cut between different angles.
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I wasn’t “insinuating” anything; just trying to figure out what exactly we are watching video of here. I suggested it might be composite footage because I think it would be very difficult for any climber, even one as talented as Dave Graham, to repeat a problem of that difficulty for video in any reasonable amount of time. And there is really no reason for him to do so if the video is going to have cuts in it.
Anyway, that’s enough analysis of a two minute video clip for me . . .
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Props to Dave for sending another incredible rig, and for his continuing wisdom and philosophy in climbing
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Stop calling things ‘rig’ unless it’s a big metal structure off the coast.
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Dave calls his projects rigs all the time. Seems fair that we should be able to.
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rig, a slang word for a cigarette
rig, a slang term for a syringe used for injecting drugs, notably heroin
rig, a slang word for an ambulance by members of fire departments and ambulance companies
rig, a slang term for an off-road vehicle intended primarily for recreational use
rig, a slang term referring to a tractor unit
rig (mathematics), a structure similar to rings without the requirement that elements should have additive inverses
drilling rig, a structure housing equipment used to drill or extract oil from underground
gaming rig, an alternate term for a gaming computer built for high-performance gaming
ríg or rí, Irish language word for “king”
rig or run rig, a traditional system of land occupation in Scotland
rig, a horse-drawn carriage together with the horses and harness
rig, a parachute system in skydiving
rig, a partially castrated male livestock animal, especially in cattle or horses
rig, a transmitter, receiver, or transceiver in amateur radio
rig, in abstract algebra, a humorous name for a semiring, being a ring without negative elements (n)
rig, something that a dog pulls when mushing
rig, the configuration of sails and other rigging on a sailing vessel
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I think the most important thing for me is whether or not I trust the people involved with this whole “thing”, like Dave Graham and Dai Koyamada. I don’t really know them, but I have followed there climbing careers for years. And Im going to go with my gut instinct and trust that both these guys have had good intentions. And are both fing strong. Dai is a beast.. Dave is insane…. Also, I think dave maybe climbed again for the send footage, why he says “jesus” at his huge wild foot swing,.. maybe he wasn’t climbing as well that try cause people were watching? I think its good that the Narc has this site up so questions are asked at this point.. Prob was not fun for Dai to have people questioning his sends though.
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*their*
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The first boulder is Miss Sweiz 8A in Chironico.
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One thing that has gone without mention is dai climb this and most of his other accents in mad rocks… Lets see another human climb as hard in those wooden clogs!!!!!!!
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According to 8a: The video from Dave on TSOTW that reappeared is not of the actual send. Dave also confirms that he thinks the second ascent in 2010 from Dai is valid.
I think Dai handled the whole controversy about his ascent in the best way possible by adding the LOW start to TSOTW. I also think these kind of internet controversies are a very unfortunate aspect of the bouldering / climbing scene. People nitpicking small details to discredit ascents by top climbers with a very solid reputation.
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What I find interesting is that dave DIDN’T mention that paul had started lower than him until this footage came to light. Why not? Ego. Loving the praise from paul about the difficulty. I also remember reading that paul the difference between his and th higher start being 8a to 8b. I’m sure the difference is probably similar on Dais. I do wonder why dave did not say something earlier. As for his beta being harder? When has dave ever climbed a similar method to anyone else. Sounds like another dig.
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Sounds like you’re reading way, way too much into second hand comments from people that you do not know.
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everyone knows Dai is strong as a fracking bull, this arguments just ridiculous
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