Name: Nic Sellars
DOB: 18/03/1970
Interview By: Ben Moon

Nic is probably one of the best all round climbers in the UK having red pointed up to 8c+, climbed trad E9 and bouldered up to font 8a. He started climbing when sport climbing was all the rage and was never that complimentary about trad climbing although you wouldn’t guess that from reading his “best UK route recommendations”!

BM - When and where did you start climbing?
NS - 1989, far too late in life to get proper strong.

BM - Do you have a favorite style of climbing (traditional, sport, bouldering etc)?
NS - 60 foot, 20° overhanging, technical yet run out sport routes. Failing this trad sea cliff bumbles.

BM - What would be your top route recommendations in the UK?
NS - Flying Dutchman on Lundy (E76c), Birdman at Kilnsey, twiggy overhanging crack action (E56c) and Commander Energy at The Roaches (E2).

BM - And abroad?
NS - NS Orange Mechanique at Cimai, S.France (8a) Simply the best pitch in the world.

BM - What would be your top boulder problem recommendations in the UK?
NS - The Crack Font 7c at Bowden.

BM - And abroad?
NS - The Feather, Hueco Tanks Font 7c+.

BM - How often do you climb?
NS - 3-4 times a week.

BM - How often do you train and for how many hours per session?
NS - 2 times a week until I get bored, about 80 mins.

BM - Where do you train?
NS - The School and The Edge when it’s too dark/wet to go out.

BM - What kind of training do you do?
NS - Bouldering, campus, weights, the usual.

BM - Your top training tip or tips?
NS - Stop strong, an old Malcolm Smith adage.

BM - Your best achievement?
NS - La Rose in 3 hours and maintaining a 4 curries a week diet whilst keeping skinny.

BM - What is your opinion on completions? Good, bad or indifferent?
NS - Complete them and spel rite.

BM - That was supposed to be competitions, I never was very good at English! I don’t think he was ever that bothered about them.

BM - Your goals for 2005?
NS - Getting over my current lingering finger injury, on-sighting some proper 8a’s, OS a grit E7 and doing a decent new route in Kyrgyzstan in July. Going out and jumping around to techno more often.