Chris – ‘King of the Box’ - Doyle has completed another fierce traverse link on his beloved Pill Box Wall on the Marine Drive at Llandudno. Jack the Drunk V12/8A+ is essentially a harder variant start linking into Chris’ own problem Drink Driving soft V12/8A+, which he climbed back in 2007.

Chris is on a mission at the moment, training hard and watching his diet (and in the process losing half a stone in weight); all the hard work is starting to really pay dividends. Firstly Chris repeated Drink Driving (making its 2nd ascent), and then he went for the obvious harder variant start. Drink Driving started up Pill Box Original V6/7A, but Jack the Drunk takes the tougher option of Jack Daniels Connection, a powerful and fingery V8/7B/+. It then joins Drink Driving and follows it to the end.

“I think Drink Driving is soft V12/8A+/hard French 8b+, whilst Jack the Drunk is mid V12/8A+/French 8c and thus the hardest bit of climbing I've ever done. Not a major new line but a personal milestone. I probably worked up to this ascent over 50 or 60 days. Today I felt slim, the hard climbing felt ok but I nearly fell on the V5/6C undercut finish when my arms melted! The good news is that the big Pill Box link up is still to go and this will be very nails, sustained to the max.”

Explained Chris after the ascent.

Interestingly Chris has been putting some time into trying Jerry Moffatt's LPT masterpiece, Liquid Ambar F8c. With fitness like this he looks like he might be in with a chance.

Relevant links:
      Drink Driving news item