Geoff Weigand Explained

Geoff Weigand
Birth Place:Sydney, Australia
Occupation:Rock climber, free solo climbing, coach

Geoff Weigand (born 1964 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian rock climber and road cyclist.[1]

Career

By the age of 16 (1981), he was one of the leading climbers in Australia with the onsight ascent of Toyland, 25, considered by most to be the hardest climb in New South Wales (NSW) at the time,[2]

He added numerous of 1st ascents (F.A.). Some are at Bombo Quarry, NSW, he redpointed Hangman (27).,[3] [4] Krondorf Theft (25), and Abstractions (25). At Cosmic County, with Aesthetic Images (25), Crosswords (24), Highlights (24), Fading Light (24),[5] Blackboard (24)[5] and Letters to the Editor (25)[6] - all developed in December 1981. He also repeated the best and hardest of his contemporaries' routes (at the time) including ascent of Hollow Men (26). While at Mt. Piddington, he established the first of its difficulty, Social Climbing (26)

He also "free solo" climbed The Janicepts (22) at Mt. Victoria, and Exhibition Wall (21) at Mt. York.

He was the subject of a "60 Minutes" (Australia) climbing story on soloing filmed at Cosmic County and Blue Mountains. In this story the anchorman posits "Is this Sport or Madness?" Weigand is quoted as saying "It's both and neither. It's madness to the everyday person. I'm not the everyday person."

At Mt. Arapiles in Australia he climbed No Exit (26) while still in high school. In February 1986 he established Shimmering - the first grade 28 in New South Wales.

At Joshua Tree, he onsight soloed each of the Ski Tracks (5.10/5.11) then the crack route Acid Crack (5.13a). In Yosemite Valley, with fellow Aussie Kim Carrigan, they did the first continuous no falls, free ascent of the Rostrum (5.12). At the Cookie Cliffs they climbed Americas Cup (5.12c) so named to commemorate the winning of the yacht race series by Australia over the U.S.A. for the first time[7] [8]

At Smith Rock, Oregon, he arrived in early summer '85 with Johnny Woodward and Kim Carrigan with the local core of Alan Watts, Chris Grover, and Brooke Sandhal.[9]

He made the first 1-day ascent of Chain Reaction (5.12c) and Latest Rage (5.12). He and Woodward also teamed up for the 2nd ascent of the classic Heinous Cling (5.12c) and a no falls ascent of Split images (5.12d). Weigand did the 1st repeat of Darkness at Noon (5.13a) - all are Watts creations-this confirmed the work of Alan Watts as having developed the leading American sport climbing area and help put Smith Rock on the map as the first premier sport climbing area.[10]

Weigand was profiled in Rock magazine's Jan-Jun 1989 issue noted as "currently at the top of the Australian rockclimbing hit parade" (Chris Baxter, Managing Editor)

He participated in the 1992 Masters competition in Chambery, France as a pre-Olympic climbing challenge held one-week prior to the games in France's bid to get rock climbing entered as an Olympic sport for the 1998 Seoul, Korean summer games.[11] [12] He placed 19th in difficulty and 5th in speed.[13]

Also in 1992 at the China Wall in Logan Canyon, UT he completed Blackout (5.14b/8c) named by Boone Speed "The grade of the route is irrelevant, insignificant compared to the pure intensity of the performance. What matters is that Geoff punched it past his personal limits, and, in the process, inspired us to do the same. I wish everyone luck in the search for their own 'Black Out'."[14]

Career highlights

1st ascents

1st ascent, solo and onsight

1st solo ascent

"Big Walls" - 1st ascent/ 1st free/ free

Other ascents

Cited competitions

Notes and References

  1. Morgan. Lisa. The world according to Geoff Weigand. Climbing. 1994. 1 November - 15 December. 140.
  2. Wagner. Tim. Resident Alien, a conversation with Geoff Weigand. Rock & Ice. 1993. 58. 38.
  3. Gockley. Catherine. Rock Profile: Geoff Weigand, The enfant terrible of Oz rock. Rock. 1989. Jan-June. 14–15.
  4. Carrigan. Kim. Extreme Rock. Rock. 1986. 14.
  5. Carrigan. Kim. Out there, down there: 50ft roof free climbed.. Mountain. 1982. 85. 18.
  6. Book: Pircher. Martin. Blue Mountains Climbing. 2002. Onsight Photography. 0958079013. 146, 201, 261, 262, 265, 267, 269, 270, 272.
  7. Book: Reid. Don. Rock climbing Yosemite free climbs. 1998. Falcon. Helena, Mont.. 0934641595. 351. 2nd.
  8. Web site: Reid. Don. North America, United States, California–Yosemite, Yosemite Valley, 1985 - AAC Publications - Search The American Alpine Journal and Accidents In North American Climbing. publications.americanalpineclub.org. 7 November 2016.
  9. Book: Watts. Alan. Climber's Guide to Smith Rock. 1992. Chockstone Press. Evergreen, Colo.. 0934641188. 20.
  10. Web site: Hobley. Nicholas. Alan Watts climbing interview. Planetmountain.com. 2009.
  11. Web site: Gaillard. Christophe. Going for the Gold (Chambery, FRA). Sport of Today.
  12. Web site: Schneid. Tim. Climbing in the 98 winter games? Going for the Gold. Sport of Today.
  13. Web site: Masters Chambery 1992. Digital Rock.
  14. Speed. Boone. Black Out. Climbing Magazine. 1992. 133. 50.
  15. Web site: Security Jerks (27). The Crag. 28 September 2016.
  16. 1989. Table of Contents Photo. Rock. Jan-Jun. 1.
  17. Web site: Jet Lag (29). The Crag.
  18. Web site: Straight Outta Compton (30). The Crag.
  19. Benge. Michael. Hot Flashes. Climbing. 36.
  20. Web site: Hurrikan (9+). frankenjura.com.
  21. Web site: Smith Rock Guide. Stanford.edu, Smith Rock Guide, rev 11/1/89. Cummins. Clint.
  22. Book: Ruckman. Stuart. Climbers Guide to American Fork/Rock Canyon. 1995. 0934641889.
  23. Geoff Weigand. Australian Rockclimber. March 1989. 4. cover, 16.
  24. Rock News: Geoff Weigand. Rock. 1989. Jan-Jun. 5.
  25. Web site: America's Cup. The Crag.
  26. Rock News: Mt Stapylton, Mega-routes fall like plums. Rock. 1989. Jul-Dec. 5.
  27. Stop the Press. Rock. 1989. Jan-Jun. 15.
  28. Web site: Short and Sharp (25x). The Crag.
  29. Web site: Herbs and Spices (23). The Crag. 28 September 2016.
  30. Book: Carter. H. Adams. American alpine journal, 1989. 1989. Amer Alpine Club. [S.l.]. 0930410394. 126.
  31. Hiller. Susan. Hueco Tanks Rock Rodeo. The Connection. 1991. 3. June, July, August. 50, 51.
  32. Web site: Ralf Becker. Result: MEN lead . digitalrock.de. 7 November 2016.

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