Eliot Stephens has made the first ascent of Zircon (8C/V15), an incredible new addition to the limestone bouldering at Oxwich, Wales. The line climbs a slightly overhanging wall on unique quartz gastons and razor-sharp micro edges, demanding both precision and power.
Discovered in 2022, Zircon emerged after a cliff collapse three years prior, revealing a futuristic sequence of holds. Stephens quickly climbed the stand start but found himself stumped by the sit start’s brutal moves.
“In 2023, a handful of sessions brought me a bit closer to a sequence, but left me 1 move short; a basic move isolating maybe the worst crimp I’ve held on a problem,” he shared on Instagram. That move alone defines the challenge of the sit, a four-move 8B leading into a tough transition before a two-move 8A finish.
Returning in January 2024, Stephens finally stuck the crux after three sessions, but success was still elusive. “Suddenly it was possible,” he wrote, reflecting on his near-send. A week later, with barely recovered skin, he linked it all together, securing the FA in just a few tries—avoiding another round of shredded tips and tape-bound sessions.
A fitting end to a long local project, but as Stephens hints, “there are plenty more waiting…”
