Ben Moon

Ben Moon

Birth : 1966-06-13, London, UK

History

Ben Moon (born 13 June 1966) is an English top climber. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ben Moon and his partner Jerry Moffatt pushed the limits of difficulty in rock climbing at that time, both in their home country of England and all over the world. the world Ben's first contact with rock climbing was on a family trip to Derbyshire. He immediately understands that he has discovered the sport that suits him. Thereafter, he often climbed the cliffs in the area with his brother, equipped in all and for all with an old used rope, jammers that they had tinkered with themselves and a single carabiner. At seventeen, he left for Wales hitchhiking and found himself by chance in the cliffs of Pen Trwyn where he finally met those he had taken as models: Andy Pollit, Jerry Moffatt and Martin Atkinson. “I was fascinated by the atmosphere. Everyone absolutely wanted to climb the most extreme routes in a new style (they made sure by planting expansion pitons) – it was a kind of permanent competition between friends! On weekends, Ben lodges with the others at the Parcelese cave, a filthy, goat-smelling lair, feeding on sandwiches, grilled potatoes and beans. His performance leaps forward, he goes from level E3 to E5 7. Although Ben enjoys climbing traditional routes such as the Right Wall, he is more and more passionate about extreme difficulties. He was the first person to climb an 8c+ with the Hubble route at Raven Tor. At that time, Hubble was the hardest route in the world, including a crux equivalent to an 8B block. Ben Moon is particularly known for his openings of short routes and requiring a lot of power. He also opened the first 8c, in France, succeeding routes that local climbers had failed to solve. He gave them names of French military defeats, such as Maginot Line ("Maginot Line") and Azincourt (Battle of Azincourt). In 2015, at the age of 49, Ben Moon made the fourth ascent of Rainshadow (9a) at Malham Cove.

Profile

Ben Moon

Movies

Statement of Youth
Self
At the start of the 80’s sport climbing was in its embryonic stages. Bolted routes were beginning to make a regular appearance, indoor climbing walls as we know them nowadays had not yet been invented and there was no such thing as being a pro athlete. During that period standards rose exponentially, from 7b+ as the cutting edge to 9a becoming the new world standard at the end of the ’80’s. In such a short period the sport changed beyond recognition and, in Britain, was fuelled by a small group of climbers who would do anything to climb full-time: sleeping in sheds underneath crags, shoplifting for food and clothes, and living off unemployment benefits. As illustrated in this film directed by Nick Brown, these climbers were living outside the rest of society and went on to become the most influential figures in the history of British sport climbing.
Winter Sessions
Ben Moon
Winter Sessions provides a playful yet compelling bouldering film about the unique and intense world of peak gritstone bouldering. From the many colourful and interesting players in this game to the magical landscapes of the Peak District National Park, this film portrays the essence of a scene which is often bewildering, frustrating and satisfying all rolled into one. Using footage gathered over two winters it includes a diverse range of stories set to an awesome soundtrack. Highlights include Ben Moon's first ascent of Voyager (8b) followed by fifteen year old protege Tyler Landman's second ascent. Also featuring Sam Whittaker, Jerry Moffatt, Jon Fullwood, Ben Bransby, Adam Long and many more.. Winter Sessions is a feast for the eyes and ears as these climbers set about repeating old classics (The Ace, The Joker, Deliverance to name but a few) and establishing new instant classics.
Dosage III
Dosage III has it all: Top climbers, exotic locations, historic first ascents, and a variety of styles (bouldering, sport climbing, trad climbing, and deep water soloing).
Åland - Baltic Sea Bouldering
In late summer 2003, climbers from Britain, Sweden, and Finland descended upon the sleepy archipelago of Aland in the Baltic Sea to discover for themselves, its combination of spectacularly beautiful scenery and array of climbing problems. Baltic Sea Bouldering presents an insight into how climbers tackle this fresh and exciting bouldering destination. What we receive is a fascinating look at how some of Europe's best climbers tackle an unclimbed highball project that stretches mental strength to the limits.
No Comment
Self
No Comment portrays the top climbers and young talents of the scene in both bouldering and route climbing with spectacular cinematography. It doesn't just show the hardest problems, it's also about climbing as a lifestyle and those who have shaped the scene from the beginning, such as Ben Moon, Jerry Moffat and Gerhard Hörhager. It also showcases the young talents like David Lama, Luca Zardini, Markus Bock and Michael Mayr introducing a new generation of super athletes, their philosophy and the way they live their lives. The film features an original soundtrack by10 Tyrolean musicians.
Stone Love
Self
Stick It
Self
The second release from the Slackjaw team, Stick It is an energetic romp around the UK bouldering scene. Accompanied by a quirky, exciting soundtrack, this film takes us on a breakneck tour of the UK’s top bouldering venues. Your guides: the country’s best climbers – Ben Moon, Malcolm Smith, Jerry Moffatt, Airlie Anderson, John Gaskins and British Champion Andy Earl. The problems: all the country’s stickiest. Infectious, fun stuff.
The Real Thing
The Real Thing is the first feature length bouldering movie ever made. Britain's top rock climbers Jerry Moffatt and Ben Moon take you on a rollercoaster road trip from the classic gritstone crags of the UK's Peak District to the mecca of European and World climbing in Fontainebleau, France. Also starring climbing hero Sean Myles, the late and great Kurt Albert and French climbing legend Marc Le Menestrel. A must watch for all boulderers, with an unforgettable pumping soundtrack. The climax of the film is Moon's ascent of Fred Nicole's Karma (V11) - other highlights include Moffatt's 'hair-raising' drive, in his Lancia Evolution, from Sheffield to Stanage and some amazing training scenes; all great fun and reminder of how climbing used to be.
One Summer: Bouldering in the Peak
Self
Follow Ben Moon as he ticks some of the Peak's most classic boulder problems, including Ben's Extension (f8A), Pinch 2 (f8A+), and Pump Up The Stamina (f8B+). Filmed and directed by Ben Pritchard with appearances from Jerry Moffat, One Summer has become a fly on the wall account of hard bouldering in the early 1990s.
One Summer: Bouldering in the Peak
Producer
Follow Ben Moon as he ticks some of the Peak's most classic boulder problems, including Ben's Extension (f8A), Pinch 2 (f8A+), and Pump Up The Stamina (f8B+). Filmed and directed by Ben Pritchard with appearances from Jerry Moffat, One Summer has become a fly on the wall account of hard bouldering in the early 1990s.
One Summer: Bouldering in the Peak
Director
Follow Ben Moon as he ticks some of the Peak's most classic boulder problems, including Ben's Extension (f8A), Pinch 2 (f8A+), and Pump Up The Stamina (f8B+). Filmed and directed by Ben Pritchard with appearances from Jerry Moffat, One Summer has become a fly on the wall account of hard bouldering in the early 1990s.