Malcolm Smith: A Retrospective
There is no doubt Malcolm Smith was one of the greatest climbers in a generation. After appearing on the British bouldering scene in the late '80s he remained on top of the sport for almost two decades. Not content with early repeats of some of the hardest routes and boulder problems of the time, Malc made first ascents which would wait many years to be repeated. Around the world his name became synonymous with a new style of hard training. Stories of his dedication and training techniques haunted the steep plywood training facilities appearing across the UK and around the globe. With the likes Ben Moon and Jerry Moffatt, Malcolm Smith set the tone for future generations.
Yet unlike his peers Smith largely shunned the media limelight. Search online and you'll only find a handful of images, this was a career largely before the age of the internet and digital photography. Therefore to coincide with his interview with The Project Magazine we have put together a retrospective photo essay. Attics were searched, boxes opened and slides scanned. The resulting gallery was only made possible by the help of Ray Wood, Rich Heap, Mark Savage, Andy Harris, Ritchie Patterson and Gav Ellis.
Photographer and Author