John Gaskins Profile include "header_root.php

You are renowned for being an extremely strong boulderer, with first ascents of such desparates as 'Isla de Encanta' (Font. 8b) and 'Anesthesia' (Font. 8b+). Do you prefer making first ascents of problems or repeating other people's hard problems?
Although many of the things that I'm known for are first ascents that's more because the lines around here hadn't been climbed. I've always repeated established things as well but a lot of the time other people won't know about these because I didn't publicise them (for example Danny's Problem and Jason's Traverse at Stanage in 1996, Jason's Roof at Crookrise in 1997). As a consequence I'm more associated with my more recent new problems.
But I just enjoy climbing good problems and nice lines, I wouldn't say that I prefer one or the other, they each bring different challenges.

Whilst on a trip to Fontainbleau you repeated 'Miroir Des Vanities' (Font. 8b) at Cuvier Rempart. What other hard classics have you completed in the forest and are there any that you would like to go and finish off?
[I did the 8b+ version of Miroir i.e. left-right-left].
Generally when I've been to Font I've just been to boulder in general and not to do specific problems so Miroir is the only one that I've ticked. Although there are a number of other things that I've come close to doing including Fatman sit start (back in 1997), Pierre Philosophale, Enigma (both before and after the first edge broke), the 8c extended version of La Valse aux Adieux and also Mystification (I fell on the [Font] 6b finishing problem). So there is plenty for me to go and do.

Now that you have completed some of the hardest boulder problems in the world are you not tempted to take a trip to the states and check out some of the Nicole and Sharma test-pieces?
There are definitely problems in the States that I'd like to do but there are also other places with problems and/or routes that I'd like to do.

You are one of the few people to have re-peated the Jason Myers slab 'Work Hard', Curbar England, do you feel more at home cranking out steep powerful problems or are you equally at ease on thin technical slabs?
I wouldn't say that I was equally at ease on slabs, I do prefer problems to be steep or at least overhanging and I'm more at home with that sort of climbing, but I'm not a one dimensional climber in that respect.

Does the traditional bold style of climbing interest you and are there any routes that you plan to try?
Although I've done some traditional climbing in the past (I climbed E8 back in 1991) it's not something that I'm into anymore.