Weekend Whipper: Head Smacking Fall, Helmet Likely Saved His Life

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This week’s whipper comes from Henri Toivola in Lofoten, Norway. Toivola was working Commando, a steep and pump-providing 7b+/5.12c. After watching his friend skip Commando‘s second-last bolt, Toivola decided he would follow suit to conserve power. “It is quite an overhanging wall and short bolt distances, so nothing bad cant happen, right?…. ” he wrote to Climbing in an email.

Toivola climbed up to the offending move with full commitment. In the heat of battle, “I didn’t realize my leg was on the wrong side of the rope,” he said. Thankfully Toivola had a helmet on, or this would have gotten ugly fast!

Happy Friday, and be safe out there this weekend.

Many thanks to Martin Angel Olsen for the video. Readers, please send your whipper videos and information—and any lessons learned—to Anthony Walsh, awalsh@outsideinc.com.

The post Weekend Whipper: Head Smacking Fall, Helmet Likely Saved His Life appeared first on Climbing.