Dai Koyamada
Encyclopedia
Dai Koyamada is a Japan
ese rock climber
. Not only is he one of the premier boulderers
of his generation, he has also put up or repeated hard sport climbs
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese rock climber
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...
. Not only is he one of the premier boulderers
Bouldering
Bouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
of his generation, he has also put up or repeated hard sport climbs
Sport climbing
Sport climbing is a form of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock, and possibly bolts, for protection,...
.
- He was born on 23 August 1976 in Kagoshima and has been climbing since 1993.
- He is 165 cm and 58 kg.
- In 1996, Koyamada won the Japanese National Championship. This is the event which allowed him to become a professional rock climber.
- In 2000 Koyamada left the competitions, because he realized "The real nature of my climbing resides in crags".
- On 2001 November 27, Koyamada made the first ascentFirst ascentIn climbing, a first ascent is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route...
(FA) of Logical Progression (9a) in Joyama, Japan. - On 2002 November 1, Koyamada repeated Hugh (9a, FA by Fred RouhlingFred RouhlingFred Rouhling is a French rock climber, famed for his 1995 proposal of the grade 9b/5.15b for his unrepeated climb Akira...
in 1993). - On 2003 November 11, Koyamada had the first ascent of Byaku-dou (White Road) in Hourai, Japan.
- In 2004, Koyamada journeyed to Australia and repeated every problem at the Hollow Mountain Cave (HMC) in the GrampiansGrampians National ParkThe Grampians National Park is a national park in Victoria, Australia, 235 kilometres west of Melbourne. The Park was listed on the Australian National Heritage List on 15 December 2006 for its outstanding natural beauty and being one of the richest indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern...
, problems put up by Fred NicoleFred NicoleFred Nicole is a Swiss rock climber, notable for his numerous cutting edge first ascents. Nicole was the first climber to open a problem with the bouldering grades 8B, 8B+ and 8C....
and Klem Loskot and some of Australia's top boulderers. He then proceeded to link-up the problems in the HMC for the first ascentFirst ascentIn climbing, a first ascent is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route...
(FA) of The Wheel of LifeThe Wheel of LifeThe Wheel of Life is a famous boulder problem in Hollow Mountain Cave in the Grampians of Australia.The problem which consists of over 60 moves was first completed by Dai Koyamada in 2004, and it links up several V8 to V15 problems that were established by climbers such as Klem Loskot and Fred...
(V16/8C+Grade (bouldering)In the sport of bouldering, problems are assigned technical grades according to several established systems, which are often distinct from those used in roped climbing. Bouldering grade systems in wide use include the Hueco "V" grades , Fontainebleau technical grades, route colors, Peak District...
) on 2004 May 12. The second ascent of the The Wheel of LifeThe Wheel of LifeThe Wheel of Life is a famous boulder problem in Hollow Mountain Cave in the Grampians of Australia.The problem which consists of over 60 moves was first completed by Dai Koyamada in 2004, and it links up several V8 to V15 problems that were established by climbers such as Klem Loskot and Fred...
was by Chris Webb Parsons on 13 Oct 2007. - On 2004 Nov 09, Koyamada repeated DreamtimeDreamtime boulderDreamtime is a boulder problem in Cresciano, Switzerland.Its first ascent was by Frederic Nicole on 2000-10-28. It was once considered the benchmark V15. Since that time, Dreamtime has allegedly been chipped and is reportedly easier, having been downgraded to 8B+...
. - On 2005 April 22, Koyamada had the first ascent of V15/8C, Hydrangea in Shiobara, Japan. He added a sit-start to his Hydra (V13/8B, FA on 2004 December 20).
- On 2005 15 October, Koyamada repeated Action DirecteAction Directe (climb)Action Directe is a famously difficult sport climb in the Frankenjura, Germany.Milan Sykora bolted this line in the 80's. The first ascent was by Wolfgang Güllich in 1991, who climbed the route using a 16 move sequence...
(9a) in the Frankenjura, Germany and proclaimed it harder than any other route that he has climbed. - On 2009 January 20, Koyamada made the first ascentFirst ascentIn climbing, a first ascent is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route...
of "Epitaph" (V15) in Hourai, Japan. It took him over a year to complete, and says it's the most beautiful line he has ever made the first ascent on. - On 2009 April 28, Koyamada made the first ascentFirst ascentIn climbing, a first ascent is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route...
of "Calm"(V15) in Mt.Kasagi, Japan. - On 2010 May 13,koyamada had the second ascent of Story of Two Worlds (V15) in Cresciano which Dave Graham put up in 2005.
- On 2010 November 13,koyamada had the second ascent of Big Paw (V15) in in Chironico which Dave Graham put up in 2008.
- On 2011 April 12, Koyamada made the first ascentFirst ascentIn climbing, a first ascent is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route...
of "Agartha" (V14) at Toyota in Japan.
External links
- KOYAMADA Dai@daihold.com (Japanese)
- The Way of the Weekend Warrior
- http://www.project-climbing.com/, Yokohama bouldering gym produced by Dai Koyamada
- http://koyamada.dai.hiho.jp/, Dai's diary (Japanese)
- http://vimeo.com/23101550, video of the first ascent of Agartha V14
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3EJctYJzpk, video of Dai Koyamada climbing Action Direct (9a)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUoFXV7MgR4, video of Dai Koyamada climbing Dreamtime