Simon Nadin

Climbing

Nadin was a climbing all-rounder and pioneered routes which set new levels in climbing. He started climbing on gritstone outcrops, such as The Roaches, close to his home in Buxton and using nuts made in his school metalwork lessons.

Within a year of starting climbing he was climbing at E6 level and in later years frequently onsight-soloed E4, E5 or harder routes. The discrepancy between his redpoint and competition standard is cited in the 1993 book Performance rock climbing (Dale Goddard & Udo Neumann) as being the start of the trend of climbers training specifically for one type of climbing.

In 1989, having only been a professional climber for 6 months, he became the first IFSC Climbing World Cup champion, beating Didier Raboutou at the final round in Lyon with an audience of 8000 people. He also came first in that round of the World Cup winning £3000 for this. Nadin was nearly disqualified twice for late arrival due to not seeing instructions put up in the official hotel, as the UK team was staying in a youth hostel.

Later in 1989 he unsuccessfully attempted to free climb The Nose on El Capitan with Lynn Hill.

Nadin's training methods were unusual - training 'heavy' in the winter, drinking lots of beer - but still able to complete difficult ascents having not climbed for a period of time.

Media

He appeared in series 3 of Coast climbing The Old Man of Hoy with Neil Oliver and Andy Cave.

Nadin appeared in cartoons in On The Edge magazine drawn by Alan James alongside other climbers such as Ben Moon, Jerry Moffatt and Johnny Dawes. Nadin is depicted speaking quietly and drinking beer in the background.

Selected Climbs