Ben Moon
Encyclopedia
Ben Moon is a rock climber
from England
. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ben Moon, along with his climbing partner Jerry Moffatt drove forward the level of sport climbing
in the UK especially, but also throughout the world. He was the first person to climb a route at the grade
of (French) 8c+, establishing Hubble at Raven Tor. At its inception, Hubble was the hardest sport route in the world, where the crux consists of a Font 8B boulder problem. Ben Moon is best known for short and powerful routes and boulder problems.
Ben Moon's first officially declared 8c routes had somewhat controversial names. The routes were both in France and had been previously attempted for a long time by local climbers. After climbing them Ben named them after French military disasters, first the Maginot Line
and secondly Agincourt
. Apart from his choice of naming, and the inevitable rivalry that comes from being part of the British Competition Climbing Team Ben's relationship with French climbers seems to be on a friendly basis.
As of 2004 Ben Moon is still climbing although he now concentrates on bouldering and also giving courses to climbers. He has also started an equipment company, moon, his second after splitting from his partner in his previous company, S7.
Moon shot the photographs for the book Girl on the Rocks: A Woman's Guide to Climbing with Strength, Grace and Courage (2009) which won the 2009 National Outdoor Book Award
(Instructional).
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ben Moon, along with his climbing partner Jerry Moffatt drove forward the level of sport climbing
Sport climbing
Sport climbing is a form of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock, and possibly bolts, for protection,...
in the UK especially, but also throughout the world. He was the first person to climb a route at the grade
Grade (climbing)
In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
of (French) 8c+, establishing Hubble at Raven Tor. At its inception, Hubble was the hardest sport route in the world, where the crux consists of a Font 8B boulder problem. Ben Moon is best known for short and powerful routes and boulder problems.
Ben Moon's first officially declared 8c routes had somewhat controversial names. The routes were both in France and had been previously attempted for a long time by local climbers. After climbing them Ben named them after French military disasters, first the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
and secondly Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
. Apart from his choice of naming, and the inevitable rivalry that comes from being part of the British Competition Climbing Team Ben's relationship with French climbers seems to be on a friendly basis.
As of 2004 Ben Moon is still climbing although he now concentrates on bouldering and also giving courses to climbers. He has also started an equipment company, moon, his second after splitting from his partner in his previous company, S7.
Moon shot the photographs for the book Girl on the Rocks: A Woman's Guide to Climbing with Strength, Grace and Courage (2009) which won the 2009 National Outdoor Book Award
National Outdoor Book Award
The National Outdoor Book Award was formed in 1997 as a US-based non-profit program which each year honors the best in outdoor writing and publishing. It is housed at Idaho State University and chaired by Ron Watters. Awards are presented in ten categories. The award is announced in early November...
(Instructional).
External links
- Ben Moon INTERVIEW
- Pictures of Ben in action at FontainebleauFontainebleauFontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
- Moon Climbing Web Site
- Ben Moon on training