Will Bosi establishes the 9A boulder problem 'Realm of Tor’ment' at Raven Tor

26-year-old Will Bosi from Edinburgh, Scotland, has claimed the first ascent of Realm of Tor’ment, a long-standing project at Raven Tor for which he has proposed a grade of 9A. Realm of Tor’ment fills a gap in the iconic Peak District venue between the sport routes Hooligan (8c) and Boot Boys (8a+) on steep terrain with improbable holds. The line is 8 moves long and finishes on an obvious flake.

Commenting on the ascent, Bosi added: "I’m incredibly happy and psyched to finally put this project down! This has probably been my longest boulder project to date, taking double-digit sessions and work over a couple of years. The send went perfectly for me. I climbed the bottom section well and just stuck the crux move. I was about as close as I could have been to failing on the last move, too".

Bosi continues: "The line starts on a perfect left-hand tufa pinch and a right-hand split crimp. From here, you have four steady but very engaged moves that lead to two pockets. This is where the crux sequence starts: a hard bump into a sharp right-hand undercut, then a high-tension foot walk. From here, you do the hardest move, which is a big dynamic left-hand slap to a bad small flat edge. I think this move alone is around a one-move 8B+/V14. Finally, you commit to another big slap up with the right hand to a good flake to finish".

Previously dubbed the Burden of Nightmares project (in response to the iconic 9A, Burden of Dreams in Lappnor, Finland), Bosi invested more than 10 sessions this season and many more in previous years.

Commenting on the grade, Will added: "Arriving at a proposed grade has been haunting me on this project ever since I started working on the boulder. Finding an accurate grade on short, punchy boulders is so difficult as the eventual grade is so dependent upon perfect beta and suiting the style and preference of the climber. However, drawing upon my own experience, I can say that it is a step above 8C+ boulders of a similar style and sits as a low-end 9A boulder. However, I welcome the thoughts of other climbers who get on this excellent problem".

If confirmed, Will would become the first person to climb five 9A boulders worldwide and cement his reputation as one of the world’s leading boulderers. Will claimed the second ascent of the UK’s previous sole 9A, Spots of Time, established by Aidan Roberts. The ascent continues Bosi’s run of form through a series of hard repeats and first ascents in Switzerland earlier this year, as well as the second ascent of Stefano Ghisolfi’s Excalibur 9b+ in Arco.