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Climbing Legend Roland Pauligk, Creator of the RP, Dies

The innovative European climber Roland Pauligk has died at 79 from cancer. Pauligk is best known to climbers for his creation of the RP, a small brass wire nut used by countless climbers. Born in East Germany, Pauligk settled in Australia and became one of the area’s leading climbers.

Roland Pauligk. Photo Pauligk Collection / Vertical Life
Roland Pauligk. Photo Pauligk Collection / Vertical Life

RPs are handmade and Pauligk continued to produce them himself into his 70s. They were used on historic sends including Indian Face E9 6c by Johnny Dawes and on Punks in the Gym in Arapiles. Vertical Life has a story titled “RP: The Story Behind the Initials” with Pauligk talking about many climbs including Monarch, “I think they had done harder climbs, but it was just this ugly thing, an off-width you know.

“You had to jam with your elbows more or less, you put your whole arm in and then pulled it back and hopefully it stuck. People were putting on three or four jumpers just to fill the crack. Nowadays even I wouldn’t touch this.” You can read the full interview here.

The much-loved RP
The much-loved RP

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