Weekend Whipper: Robbed by the Stone

Ross Lesslie fought a ferocious pump at the anchors of Nightrider (5.12b), at The Face, Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. But he had the onsight in the bag—a clip away—or so he thought.

As Lesslie went to clip the chains, he pulled a bread loaf-size block off the wall and took a 30-some foot screamer. Despite the pump, Lesslie managed to keep hold of the block that robbed his ascent, saving it from bombing his belayer Calvin Tague below.

“What a gentleman, right?!?” says Gavrila Piper, who submitted the whipper.

Stay safe out there!

Filmed by Luca De Giorgi, submitted by Gavrila Piper.