Hazel Findlay becomes first British woman to climb 8c

Almost 20 years have passed since Ruth Jenkins became the first British woman to climb 8b with her 1995 repeat of Ben Moon's intense Zeke the Freak at Water-cum-Jolly in the Peak District. Young Hazel Findlay has now finally taken things a full grade further by redpointing Fish Eye at Oliana; with her ascent Findlay has not only improved on her previous best (Kalea Borroka 8b+ at Siurana), but she has also now become the first British climber woman to send 8c.

Findlay redpointed the famous stamina testpiece on Saturday after seven days of effort and in doing so she proved once again that she is a force to be reckoned with on all types of terrain; from cutting-edge, dangerous E9 trad to difficult multi-pitch outings such Golden Gate up El Capitan in Yosemite via - without too much difficulty we add - 8c sports climbs. It is worth remembering that Josune Bereziartu became the first ever female to climb 8c with her redpoint of Honky Tonky at Araotz in 1998.