Punks in the Gym, the world’s first 5.14a
Punks in the Gym was the world’s first 8b+ (5.14a). First climbed by Wolfgang Gullich, it stands out as a classic test-piece of our generation. It’s still regarded as an incredibly challenging climb,nearly three decades after the first ascent.
The featured image was taken by Ben Moon of Sonnie Trotter on Punks in the Gym in 2007. As Trotter writes on his website, “One story about Punks you won’t often hear in the media is that it’s chipped. Whether or not the climb was chipped before Wolfgang’s attempts is hard to say, but it’s certainly been enhanced now, and the evidence remains. The story I was told during my time down under, was that a British climber named Andy Pollit spent several, obsessive months, spread over the course of years, trying to redpoint Punks.”
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In this video, Scottish climber Robbie Phillips takes on the challenge and discusses some of the facets of this climb that motivated him.
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