George Sanders Climbs The Undertaker (V14)
George Sanders has made the first ascent of a new hard boulder in Turakirae Head's Bronx Cave. His climb, The Undertaker, is a fierce series of moves on holds that mostly face in unhelpful directions and likely the hardest boulder in the North Island. Indeed, it is a contender for the hardest boulder anywhere in New Zealand.
Just three other V14s have been climbed, all in the Castle Hill area. Of these three, only one has had a repeat (Biotronic was first climbed by Niky Ceria in 2016 and repeated by Stu Kurth in 2017). Josh Cornah's Whale Rider from 2021 and Oskar Wolff's Disorder from this year remain unrepeated.
Here's George's report about the climb:
The Undertaker is a sit start to the already established Fatal Discharge (V12, FA Sharik Walker 2005) in the Bronx Cave, Turakirae Head. It extends the climb by three moves (four if you count pulling on) and shares the first move with Allison Wonderland (V11, FA Peter Allison 2007). The full line is basically V12 into V12 and I have decided to give it the grade of V14, the first in the North Island. This boils down to seven very hard moves in a row, with the potential for any one of these moves to be dropped each attempt. The true crux, however, is sticking the first move of Fatal Discharge from the ground. A low percentage, contact strength intensive move from a left-hand undercling, to a precise and shallow pinch in the middle of the almost horizontal roof of the cave.
I first tried the climb in September of 2024 after returning from a trip to Rocklands with Oskar Wolff. I felt very motivated to reach my next level of bouldering after being inspired by the trip we shared; and his god-like climbing performance over our three weeks there. Naturally, the thing to do was choose a new project; a heinous link up in the awe-inspiring world-class Bronx Cave in Wellington—New Zealand’s premiere bouldering location. All jokes aside, the qualities of the climb I eventually picked are genuinely very rad. Some of the most difficult, powerful, nuanced moves I have tried. A combination of pure power endurance ability, precision and mental control is required to top this thing out. Not to mention pulling on over the occasional dead goat under the start holds.
On my very first session I had already stuck every move and done the boulder in two parts, ground to Fatal start and Fatal start to the top. It took me a handful of sessions to climb to the top from one move lower than the Fatal start, leaving only two more moves to send the full line! This proved to be a little more difficult to execute than imagined: battling summer conditions; a messed up wrist (every hard move involves a left-hand undercling—which partly inspired the name); flooded landings and slightly decreasing psych to go to the cave most weekends (14 in total). But, it all finally came together!
I am super psyched to have sent The Undertaker last weekend and am looking forward to my next project! Which will likely be in the same cave…
A big shout out to everyone sessioning at the Rak each weekend. In particular the crusher, Raymond Hu, who has been trying the boulder with me and getting very close. Your efforts motivated me to keep trying and inspired me when the psych was low. I hope it goes very soon for you bro!
Photos by Kelly Marie.