Tom Randall (climber)

This article is about the British rock climber. For other uses, see Thomas Randall.

Tom Randall

Tom Randall at CrackFest 2024, Sheffield, UK
Personal information
Born	South Africa[1]
Occupation	Professional rock climber
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Climbing career
Type of climber	Traditional climbing, crack climbing
Known for	Making the first ascent of Century Crack, Utah (5.14b), the world's hardest off-width crack climb.
First ascents	Century Crack, Utah (5.14b), The Kraken, Devon (V13)
Updated on 17 October 2023

Tom Randall is a British professional rock climber. Randall and his climbing partner Pete Whittaker, known as the Wide Boyz, are some of the best crack climbers in the world, known for their the first free ascent of Century Crack 5.14b (8c) in 2011. They also produce crack climbing media content, and equipment such as crack volumes for indoor crack climbing training.

Climbing career

In 2011, alongside climbing partner Pete Whittaker, Randall made the first free ascent of Century Crack (5.14b), one of the world's hardest offwidth crack climbs.^[2][3] They won the 2016 Climbing Golden Piton Vision Award for their achievement.^[4]

In 2015, Randall made the first ascent of The Kraken in Hartland Quay, Devon, England, a 40 ft horizontal roof crack, giving it a grade of V13.^[5][6]

Ascents

• Century Crack (5.14b), 2011^[2]
• Cobra Crack (5.14b)^[1]
• The Kraken (V13)^[6][5]

Wide Boyz

Randall and his climbing partner Pete Whittaker are together known as the Wide Boyz. They have a business under this name, selling equipment related to crack climbing, such as crack volume holds and crack gloves, and producing media content on their YouTube channel about crack climbing.^[7][8]

The documentary of the pair climbing Century Crack in 2011 also goes by the name Wide Boyz.^[2]

Lattice Training

Randall is co-founder of Lattice Training, alongside Ollie Torr, and a climbing coach for the organisation.^[5] Lattice provides climbing coaching through social media such as YouTube, and private coaching plans. They have supported elite climbers, such as Will Bosi in his repeat of Burden of Dreams (V17).^[9]

Filmography

• Wide Boyz (2012), directed by Chris Alstrin and Paul Diffley^[10]
• Wide Boyz II – Slender Gentlemen (2014), directed by Paul Diffley^[11]
• Bridge Boys (2022), directed by Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen^[12]

References

1. "Tom Randall". Rab. Archived from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
2. Chris Alstrin, Paul Diffley (directors) (2012). Wide Boyz (Documentary).
3. "Desert Testpiece Century Crack (5.14b) Sees Third Ascent by Danny Parker". Climbing. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
4. "2016 Golden Pitons: Vision Award". Climbing. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
5. "Tom Randall". Lattice Training. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
6. "'The Kraken' is Slain: Tom Randall Completes V13 Roof Project". UKC. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
7. "Wide Boyz". Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
8. "Wide Boyz YouTube channel". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2023-07-19. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
9. "Will Bosi". Lattice Training. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
10. "Wide Boyz, 2012". Letterboxd. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
11. "WideWide Boyz II – Slender Gentlemen, 2014". Letterboxd. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
12. "Bridge Boys, 2022". Letterboxd. Archived from the original on 18 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.