Will Bosi fearless on Honey Badger, new 8C+ boulder problem at Badger Cove, UK

Will Bosi has established Honey Badger, a major new boulder problem at Badger Cove in the Peak District with the proposed grade of 8C+. The boulder is twenty-two moves long from the base of the crag and navigates the steepest section of wall moving through tiny holds before joining the upper section of Rampant Rabbit (7C) and gaining the final jugs on the Dan Varian classic Bewilderness (8B+), leaving only the treacherous top out via the gully.

The boulder took Bosi five sessions to complete with a stopper deadpoint move from a tiny crimp to a two-finger sized pocket being the crux to unlock the whole problem. Bosi took advantage of the prolonged dry weather to clean the steep section which previously stayed damp all year round. With the assistance of established Peak District bouldering developer Ned Feehally, they were able to clean the rock and ensure it was stable enough for the ascent.

Bosi commented "This is by far the hardest boulder problem I have done to date and one of the best. The climbing is so varied throughout from technical at the start, through to raw power and eventually hanging on for dear life at the end!"

The 23-year-old continues "I say this is a boulder but it is funny to think that this has twenty two moves of hard climbing and is a boulder problem and Brandenburg Gate (Bosi’s first ascent sport route at Raven Tor) only has 7 hard moves and is considered a sport route. Climbing is a funny sport!"

Commenting on the grade, "This was a step up from the previous 8C’s I have done at Badger so in that regard, I felt the 8C+ grade is warranted but the margins at this top level are so fine I would happily be persuaded otherwise. Hopefully, I get the opportunity to try some other boulders at the grade and I can start to get a sense of where it is but for now, I will leave it at 8C+ and hopefully some strong climbers will come and give it a go."

The problem joins Aidan Roberts' Superpower and Isles of Wonder Sit as the UK’s only boulder problems at the grade of 8C+. All three are currently unrepeated.

WILL BOSI TICKLIST 2022
19/01/2022 8B+ Below Zero, Rooftown (FA)
22/01/2022 8B Voyager, Burbage North
08/02/2022 8A+ Leopold Low, Carrock Fell
08/02/2022 8B Home, Carrock Fell
11/02/2022 8B+ Limit Breaker, Forest Rock
01/03/2022 8A Snatch, Stanage
07/03/2022 8B 4X+1, Bowderstone (FA)
07/03/2022 8B Flip Flopera, Bowderstone
07/03/2022 8B Flipnic, Bowderstone
11/03/2022 8B Snatch Low, Stanage (FA)
16/03/2022 8B+ Weeding the Lip, Raven Tor
18/03/2022 9a Stevlolution, Raven Tor
18/03/2022 9a Roofolution, Raven Tor
25/03/2022 8B Leda kost, Holštejn
27/03/2022 8C Drift, Holštejn
27/03/2022 8B Sviní Mor, Sloup (Flash)
27/03/2022 8A Švédský závodník Hotofson Sit, Sloup
28/03/2022 8A+ Patička ledovce, Holštejn
01/04/2022 9a Kostej Nesmrtelný, Holštejn
03/04/2022 8B Kouzelný sauce, Sloup
03/04/2022 8B+ Sila je Kouzlo, Sloup
04/04/2022 8C Pata ledovce, Holštejn
06/04/2022 8A Smrad Dálek Sit, Sloup
07/04/2022 8A+ Fénixovy Slzy, Sklapsko (Flash)
07/04/2022 8B+ Charizard, Sklapsko (Flash)
07/04/2022 8C Bulbasaur, Sklapsko (FA)
07/04/2022 8A+ The Swirl King Sit, Vir (FA) / (Flash)
09/04/2022 8C Ghost Rider, Sloup
11/04/2022 8C Tekuté štěstí, Sloup
12/04/2022 8C Iceberg, Holštejn
12/04/2022 8A+ Blatant, Holštejn
15/04/2022 2nd Place Czech National Lead Competition
20/04/2022 9a Perla východu, Holštejn
20/04/2022 8A+ Kapka z poháru nesmrtelnosti, Sloup
21/04/2022 8B H1N1, Sloup
27/04/2022 8B+ Metelkův Mechanický Betlém, Labeké Údolí
28/04/2022 8B+ Prehistorik, Labské Údolí
28/04/2022 8B Toxický Prase, Labské Údolí
28/04/2022 8A+ Megalodon, Labské Údolí (Flash)
05/05/2022 8B Southern Hooligan, Raven Tor (FA)
23/05/2022 9a The Southern Hooligan, Raven Tor (FA)
07/06/2022 8C Silent Singer, Bowderstone
10/06/2022 8C Trance, Badger Cove (FA)
13/06/2022 8C Outliers, Trowbarrow
04/07/2022 9a+ Free at Last, Dumbarton (FA)
15/07/2022 8C Beautiful Mind, Badger Cove (FA)
07/08/2022 8C+ Honey Badger, Badger Cove (FA)